Prestwick to lose rescue base as HMS Gannet services move to Glasgow

  • Rescue services from HMS Gannet at Prestwick are set to be moved to Glasgow Airport
  • HMS Gannet has been based at Prestwick since 1971
Search and rescue facilities based at HMS Gannet at Prestwick Airport are to be moved to Glasgow under a £6bn private finance initiative contract for the service.

The Soteria Consortium has been announced as the preferred bidder to provide search and rescue services using a new fleet of Sikorsky S92 helicopters to replace the ageing Royal Navy Sea Kings which are currently operated out of 12 bases by the Ministry of Defence and the coastguard.

It has been revealed that the consortium plans to move the search and rescue facilities from HMS Gannet at Prestwick Airport to Glasgow Airport when it takes over the contract in 2012.

More than 100 staff are currently based at HMS Gannet and it is likely that any search and rescue jobs will be transferred to the new base under the contract, which is worth £6bn over 25 years.

HMS Gannet has been based at Prestwick since 1971, and covers an area of almost 100,000 square miles, from Ben Nevis in the north to the Lake District in the south, and from Edinburgh in the east to 200 miles off the coast of Northern Ireland.

You can read more on this story here on the Herald website.

Have your say...

Add your own comment

Add

You need to be logged in to add news & pictures. If you haven't already, it's quick & easy to Sign up.

Sorry, there were some problems with your request

Please check that the email address you are using is the same one that you signed up with. If you have forgotten your password we can send you a reminder.

Sign In
  1. Forgotten Password?

Sorry, there were some problems with your request

Please check that the email address you are using is the same one that you signed up with.

Password reminder
  1. If you have forgotten your password, simply enter the email address associated with your account below and we will send you a link to reset it.

    Please note for security reasons the link will expire within 1 hour. After that you will need to request another link.

  2. <<Return to Login

Your sign in details have been retrieved and an email is on its way to you!

<<Return to Login

Contribute
  1. By posting on s1prestwick you’re agreeing to abide by our Posting Policy. Your email address won’t be displayed to the public.

  1. Here's your chance to make sure your contribution is exactly as you'd like it.

  2. Your photos will be uploaded when you click 'Send it'

    Your video will be uploaded when you click 'Send it'

    Your photos and video will be uploaded when you click 'Send it'

  3. By clicking 'send it' you’re agreeing to abide by our Posting Policy.

Tell everyone your news

If it’s topical in Prestwick, this is the place for it.

Remember that news doesn't just mean crime and politics – a golden wedding, a new baby, or a personal achievement are news to any community.

Add

You need to be logged in to add news & pictures. If you haven't already, it's quick & easy to Sign up.

Sorry, there were some problems with your request

Please check that the email address you are using is the same one that you signed up with. If you have forgotten your password we can send you a reminder.

Sign In
  1. Forgotten Password?

Sorry, there were some problems with your request

Please check that the email address you are using is the same one that you signed up with.

Password reminder
  1. If you have forgotten your password, simply enter the email address associated with your account below and we will send you a link to reset it.

    Please note for security reasons the link will expire within 1 hour. After that you will need to request another link.

  2. <<Return to Login

Your sign in details have been retrieved and an email is on its way to you!

<<Return to Login

Contribute
  1. Please make sure what you’re adding is news. If it's an event, you must also add it to our What's On section before it'll be allowed here. History and advertising have their own sections, too.

    Posting Tips
  2. If your contribution is about a specific location, please enter the nearest postcode (if known)

  1. Here's your chance to make sure your contribution is exactly as you'd like it.

  2. Your photos will be uploaded when you click 'Send it'

    Your video will be uploaded when you click 'Send it'

    Your photos and video will be uploaded when you click 'Send it'

  3. By clicking 'send it' you’re agreeing to abide by our Posting Policy.

In the News

Want a site like this for your community? Suggest a new location
© Herald & Times Group. All rights reserved.
Contact us | Terms of use | Privacy policy | Newsquest Media Group