Sea King XZ593 has been gifted to the Falkland Islands Museum and
National Trust (FIMNT) by the
Ministry of Defence. The helicopter was officially handed over to
Mr Richard Cockwell OBE on behalf of FIMNT, by
Commander of British Forces South Atlantic Islands, Commodore
Darren Bone RN.
The Sea King helicopter was transported from Mount Pleasant
Complex (MPC) to Stanley Airport via Chinook, a task that
required specific expertise from the UK. The 35 mile trip took
the helicopters along the length of Stanley Harbour, passing the
Historic Dockyard and Museum, Victory Green and the Lady Liz
shipwreck.
Upon arrival at Stanley Airport, the Sea King was formally
presented to the trustees of the FIMNT, along
with the aircrafts logbook and a framed photograph. Afterwards
visitors at the airport were invited to explore inside the Sea
King and Chinook helicopters.
Commodore Bone RN said:
For over a generation, the Sea King has been a reassuring sight
across the Falkland Islands. It has gone to the rescue of
Islanders, military personnel and numerous fishermen and
sailors.
Commodore Bone added:
The Sea King has been a demonstrable link between the British
Forces South Atlantic Islands and the Islanders and reflects
the close cooperation and interaction that continues between
the 2 communities. It is fitting that this aircraft should stay
in the Falkland Islands.
Over its 38 years of service, XZ593 clocked up more than 17,400
flying hours. It operated across the United Kingdom and routinely
deployed to the Falkland Islands, where Sea Kings had provided
military search and rescue cover since 1983. In March 2016, this
aircraft conducted the very last Sea King rescue, recovering an
injured sailor from a fishing vessel.
