Search and Rescue privatisation planned

The coalition government is planning to go ahead with plans to privatise the search and rescue helicopter service which operates throughout the UK. This service is currently provided by the RAF and Royal Navy, plus civilian helicopters through the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The previous government had been in talks for the service to be run by private consortium Soteria from 2012, however these plans were dropped when the new government came into power. The plan was to replace the ageing Sea King helicopters with new, privately-owned ones, to be operated from 12 bases across the UK. The BBC is now reporting that similar plans are back on, with a joint submission to the Treasury for a private finance initiative (PFI) deal from the department of transport and the MOD. If this plan is agreed, search and rescue helicopters could be owned by private companies and crewed and piloted by civilians by 2013.