771 NAS disbanded today.

[Spitfire88]

771 NAS disbanded today after many years saving lives they will be missed.

[paddyboy]

God bless them and thanks

They will be sorely missed by those in most need

[EGDR]

I really don't get why this is happening,what is going on with our country at the moment because it doesn't feel vey GREAT at the moment..

Because the Sea Kings are being retired (save for the ASaC.7s for now) and the civilian SAR role has been handed over to HM Coastguard. Why keep a squadron in existence if they have no aircraft and not much of a role left?

[Chough]

It was indeed a sad day to see 771 disband but as indicated on this site, the Sea Kings were old and sadly bringing in contractors seems to be the way forward. I note from the Royal Aeronautical Society magazine that around two thirds of the 200 or so of the personnel now involved in civilian SAR are ex-military. Locally the Newquay SAR outfit has been reported as having 35 staff, I heard a few months back that 771 had 250 on strength. Thanks 771, you will be greatly missed here in Cornwall and beyond.