0:00:05 > 0:00:08The mountains and coastline of Wales,
0:00:08 > 0:00:10both beautiful and treacherous.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15That's all copied, 122 approaching the scene.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19Wales has the busiest RAF Search and Rescue operation
0:00:19 > 0:00:20in the whole of Britain.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Hundreds of people are saved every year by the iconic
0:00:23 > 0:00:27yellow Sea King helicopters.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30In this series, we follow the real-life rescue stories
0:00:30 > 0:00:33from a mountainside to hospital bedside.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35MAN CRIES OUT
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Our cameras have been allowed behind-the-scenes access
0:00:38 > 0:00:41to the two RAF flights serving Wales.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Never before has the force been under such a spotlight
0:00:45 > 0:00:48with a royal co-pilot serving within its ranks.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52This is the story of the men and women
0:00:52 > 0:00:56who work with Prince William 365 days a year, 24/7.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00This time on Helicopter Rescue,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04a 60th birthday in Snowdonia is spent on a knife-edge.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06The casualty is...
0:01:06 > 0:01:07She was in a lot of pain.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Any movement and it was quite severe pain for her.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14We find out what happened next to this daredevil
0:01:14 > 0:01:17kayaker as he plummets over this South Wales waterfall.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23And we venture into "The Graveyard to discover the Welsh roots
0:01:23 > 0:01:25of the RAF's Mountain Rescue Service.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45From their remote base on the northwestern tip of Anglesey
0:01:45 > 0:01:47the Search and Rescue team at RAF Valley
0:01:47 > 0:01:49get their first call-out of the day.
0:01:49 > 0:01:5159, female.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55C Flight's Rescue 122 is scrambled to help a casualty
0:01:55 > 0:01:59in one of the most perilous locations
0:01:59 > 0:02:00in the mountains of Snowdonia.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Ankle on Crib Goch.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06The winchman on this rescue is Ed Griffiths.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09It's quite a notorious bit, Crib Goch,
0:02:09 > 0:02:13it's a ridge line in Snowdonia with 1,000-foot drops either side of it.
0:02:13 > 0:02:19A lot of people either fall or become stuck up there.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24Unfortunately, I've had a few fatalities on that ridge line, as well.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Today, there are four crew members on the rescue.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37The two pilots can talk to Ed and the radar operator
0:02:37 > 0:02:40- throughout the operation. - ..looking normal...
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Their target is to be airborne within 15 minutes.
0:02:43 > 0:02:48But Rescue 122 is usually up and away in half that time.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52All stations, this is Rescue 122 Sea King helicopter proceeding to Crib Goch.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57The RAF Search and Rescue flights
0:02:57 > 0:03:00are based in six locations around Britain.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02But it's the two flights patrolling Wales
0:03:02 > 0:03:05which have the most call outs every year,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08from the Royal Marines Barracks in Chivenor in the South,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10and RAF Valley in the north.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Ankle injury, is that pretty much what we...?
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Yeah. 57-year old female.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20On a sunny October weekend,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Rescue 122 know they're going to be busy.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25The vast majority of call-outs for the crew from Valley
0:03:25 > 0:03:27are in the mountains of Snowdonia.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30It's familiar territory for winchman Ed.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32RADIO: All stations. This is Rescue 122...
0:03:32 > 0:03:37'We average here around 250 - 300 rescues a year.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40'80 per cent are within 30 miles of Valley here,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44'the majority of which are in Snowdonia.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46'Already this year, just on Crib Goch
0:03:46 > 0:03:49'which is one of the ridge lines in Snowdonia,'
0:03:49 > 0:03:53I think we have completed around 25 rescues on Crib Goch itself.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- Keep along the rocks there. - They're climbing, they're not waving.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Rescue 122 have reached the infamous Crib Goch ridge
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and are starting the search for the casualty.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08That's where I reckon the grid point is.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11I'm going to fly left, you keep your eyes out.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15The RAF's rescue coordination centre in Scotland calls in
0:04:15 > 0:04:19to give the crew more details about the casualty's location.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22This is Rescue 122, go ahead, sir.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27'Roger. The casualty is 5-0 metres,
0:04:27 > 0:04:31'that is 5-0 metres from the summit of Crib Goch.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35'Two in party...'
0:04:35 > 0:04:39It's one of the most dangerous routes to the summit of Snowdon.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42'..Casualty in a red waterproof.'
0:04:42 > 0:04:47Its latest victim is a 59-year-old woman with an ankle injury.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57'Crib Goch is easily accessible from the car park.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59'You park your car and walk up on the ridge line
0:04:59 > 0:05:03'and it suddenly becomes extremely difficult and dangerous.'
0:05:03 > 0:05:04Some people are lucky and break legs,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07unfortunately I've been involved in a few fatalities
0:05:07 > 0:05:11and have had to pick up some bodies off the ridge line or the base of the ridge line.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16- Target sighted, 3 o'clock.- Visual.
0:05:16 > 0:05:22- We have got to go to the other side. Copy.- Should be OK...
0:05:22 > 0:05:28They've found the casualty. But now there's another problem.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30The strong downdraught from the helicopter
0:05:30 > 0:05:34is threatening to blow the backlog of walkers off the ridge.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41Radar operator Nick Swannick needs them to hunker down on the rocks
0:05:41 > 0:05:43or the Sea King can't get any closer.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48At last, Ed can be winched down to the casualty.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Perched above a thousand foot drop,
0:05:51 > 0:05:55the other walkers now have a ringside seat
0:05:55 > 0:05:58to the unfolding rescue.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16Eight. Out the door, off the harness.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18- Come up a tiny bit.- Copy.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23On a piece of wire, no thicker than a pencil,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Ed is slowly lowered down.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28As a fully qualified paramedic,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Ed is taking his medic bag down with him.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43'Once you're there, you're interested in treating the casualty.'
0:06:45 > 0:06:46She was in a lot of pain.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Any movement, and it was quite severe pain for her.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55'Unfortunately, the line of work that we do,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57'we see some quite horrific sights.'
0:06:57 > 0:07:01The winchman is usually the first person to arrive on the scene.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Ed has experienced some horrific incidents in the past,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08especially here on Crib Goch.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13To help him deal with such events, Ed turns to his family.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17'Coming home, it separates everything.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20'I have got Helen, and especially now little Xavier's here.'
0:07:20 > 0:07:21Do you want some more?
0:07:21 > 0:07:26Just down the road from RAF Valley, Ed and his wife Helen
0:07:26 > 0:07:29have just celebrated their son's first birthday.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34'It's great to have the two separate parts to my life.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37'It just takes your mind of it.'
0:07:37 > 0:07:40It enables you to de-stress,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44and realise that that's not everything, if you like.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50If he wants to talk about it, then, yeah.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53I'm quite nosy so I try and find things out,
0:07:53 > 0:08:00but I know if he doesn't want to talk then we just leave it. But, yes.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02And when Xavier gets a bit older,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05there's a special birthday surprise waiting for him.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Three years ago, after being nominated
0:08:08 > 0:08:12by his colleagues, his own dad was immortalised in plastic.
0:08:12 > 0:08:18Something not everybody can say, they're married to an action man.
0:08:18 > 0:08:23- I feel quite proud. - For me it's just fun, isn't it?
0:08:23 > 0:08:26It's every boy's little dream to be an Action Man.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31I have one upstairs and hopefully for Xavier when he's a bit older,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34when he thinks I'm old and boring and past it,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36hopefully he'll look at the box and think,
0:08:36 > 0:08:41"Actually, Dad used to do something worthwhile once."
0:08:41 > 0:08:45Something For him to show his friends, "My dad's an Action Man."
0:08:45 > 0:08:49It's probably got a bit more hair than me, I think.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57On the infamous Crib Goch ridge,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Rescue 122 prepares to winch the casualty off the mountain.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03On the ground. Steady. Winching in.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Over 3,000-feet in the air, it's the first time
0:09:13 > 0:09:1759 year old Fiona McArthur has ever been winched.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20'I don't like heights. I really don't like heights.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26'It's just the thought of it.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29'Just dangling in the fresh air.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33'I just closed my eyes and hoped for the best.'
0:09:36 > 0:09:38'I tend to find that everyone...
0:09:38 > 0:09:41'sort of tell a joke, make light of the situation
0:09:41 > 0:09:43'and people get a little bit more relaxed.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45'They don't tend to respond well if you say,'
0:09:45 > 0:09:48"Do think this wire will hold us both?"
0:09:48 > 0:09:51They don't like it when you do that. I've learnt that!
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Radar Operator Nick Swannick guides Ed and Fiona into the Sea King.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Hoist the pilots.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Safe on board, Ed has some important news to share
0:10:04 > 0:10:06with the rest of the crew.
0:10:06 > 0:10:11Her 60th birthday present, a walk on Snowdon this is.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14- Her 60th birthday present? - And a helicopter flight.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Cheapskate, that's a birthday present!
0:10:16 > 0:10:19As her husband carries on to the summit of Snowdon,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22the birthday girl is taken on the short journey
0:10:22 > 0:10:24to Bangor's Ysbyty Gwynedd.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31Woo! Unreal. Unreal!
0:10:35 > 0:10:37'I've never broken anything before in my life!'
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Well, it's going to be a birthday to remember, isn't it?
0:10:47 > 0:10:51Last year alone over 500 cries for help
0:10:51 > 0:10:55were answered by the two RAF flights covering Wales.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59RAF Valley on Anglesey is the headquarters
0:10:59 > 0:11:03for the whole Search and Rescue force in the UK.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07Over 160 people work here doing all manner of jobs
0:11:07 > 0:11:11essential to the smooth running of the service.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14The headquarters also serves as a home
0:11:14 > 0:11:18to the on duty members of the 22 Squadron C Flight crew
0:11:18 > 0:11:19whoever they are.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24'To have Prince William here is both a pleasure and an honour.'
0:11:24 > 0:11:27The banter is rife, and he gives as soon as he gets.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31'It's just a normal, professional relationship that we
0:11:31 > 0:11:33'have all together and we do the job'
0:11:33 > 0:11:36'to the best of our ability, as does he.'
0:11:36 > 0:11:39We're all effective members of C Flight.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43I have never been so nervous in all my life.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47But he's just normal.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Fight Lieutenant Wales, graduated as a Search and Rescue pilot
0:11:51 > 0:11:53after a 19-month training programme,
0:11:53 > 0:11:58six months of which was spent at RAF Valley on Anglesey.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- Can you take that a sec, just going to put my...- Roger.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03Your brakes, if we need them.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06He's now training here to become a captain,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09an ambition shared by another co-pilot.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Taff Wilkins from Port Talbot is based at the RAF Flight in Chivenor.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22'I always wanted to be a pilot form a young age.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26'I went to a cadets when I was quite young.'
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Went to an interview with the Air Force after college.
0:12:29 > 0:12:30Was fortunate to get accepted.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37From the Royal Marines Barracks at Chivenor in North Devon,
0:12:37 > 0:12:4122 Squadron A Flight takes care of South and mid-Wales.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45A call-out comes in from the Brecon Beacons.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Today Taff is in charge of the Sea King
0:12:48 > 0:12:50with captain Hugh Pearce at his side.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54This is Rescue 169. We're airborne. We have six persons on board.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59Two hours. Our ETA to follow.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Taff and his crew have been called
0:13:03 > 0:13:06to one of the most dangerous areas in the Brecon Beacons.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08A kayaker has been injured
0:13:08 > 0:13:10after diving off the Sgwd y Pannwr waterfall.
0:13:10 > 0:13:16Taff gets more details on the casualty from the aircraft captain, Hugh Pearce.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Spinal compression injury.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22The grid is near the waterfalls that we're talking about.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25We've been called to a guy who has fallen and hurt his spine
0:13:25 > 0:13:27in a tricky to access place.
0:13:27 > 0:13:28The weather's quite bad as well,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31we're just discussing low-level options to go in.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35The waterfall country in the Neath Valley
0:13:35 > 0:13:37is full of gorges and ravines.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41It attracts thousands of walkers, kayakers and canoeists.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45But the difficult terrain makes it a hot spot for accidents.
0:13:49 > 0:13:5324-year old Tom Crowther was shooting the Sgwd y Pannwr waterfall.
0:13:53 > 0:13:59Although he cleared the drop,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59the landing has resulted in injury to his back.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Brecon Beacons Mountain Rescue are already on the scene.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11But they need the Sea King to get the casualty out.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17The main decision for Taff is how to get to his casualty.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21The area is full of dense forests so it's impossible to land.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24The only option is to find a safe place to hover.
0:14:24 > 0:14:31Only then can paramedic Rachel Robinson be winched down to join the Mountain Rescue teams on the ground.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34But hovering this low is a dangerous option.
0:14:34 > 0:14:39'We operate in two ways in the aircraft. You've got the fly away option and the committed option.'
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Fly away so you get lots of height. If there is a problem with the aircraft, you can fly away.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48If you operate "committed", it means if there's a problem, like if you did lose an engine,
0:14:48 > 0:14:52you've got to commit to what's in front of you - to choose between the two.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56'You're either low and committed or you're high and you've got the fly-away.'
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Taff has decided to commit the helicopter to the winch-down.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07This means he now has to lower the helicopter down into the narrow ravine.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11Roger. Committed. We'll have to "commit" to get Rachel, I think.
0:15:11 > 0:15:17In such a deep ravine with dense forests either side, hovering this low is a dangerous option.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21But it's the only one available to winch the casualty on board.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26Radar operator Seaweed prepares to winch down Rachel the paramedic.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31I have got Rachel with her bag. Over the side. Winching out. Steady. Your height is good.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33- Tips and tail well clear.- Roger.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Winching out.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Steady. Height good.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Winching out. Steady.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50'You don't want to put yourself in danger because once you're in danger you can't help the casualty.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54'But sometimes, we have to push ourselves a little bit more than we'd like to.'
0:15:57 > 0:16:01For the past 70 years, the men and women of the RAF's Search and Rescue force
0:16:01 > 0:16:05have been putting their own lives at risk to save others.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09AIR RAID SIREN
0:16:11 > 0:16:12World War Two.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16In order to gain air superiority over the enemy,
0:16:16 > 0:16:20airbases were built all over the country to train aircrew.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23One of Wales's busiest was RAF Llandwrog on the outskirts of Caernarfon.
0:16:23 > 0:16:28From here, pilots had to navigate some of the toughest terrain in Britain.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30But not everyone succeeded.
0:16:33 > 0:16:38This is the Carnedda range, the northern part of Snowdonia National Park.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Eventually, the central part of this range
0:16:41 > 0:16:44would be called "The Graveyard"
0:16:44 > 0:16:47because of so many aircraft crashes.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52There were a lot of trainee navigators on these flights
0:16:52 > 0:16:57so they made errors in navigation, quite serious ones sometimes.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01Whilst training, more and more inexperienced crews lost their lives.
0:17:01 > 0:17:07Even if they survived the initial crash, the treacherous conditions soon claimed more victims.
0:17:07 > 0:17:13The need for a proper search and rescue operation became apparent to one man in particular.
0:17:13 > 0:17:19Flight Lieutenant George Graham set up a small mountain rescue team at RAF Llandwrog,
0:17:19 > 0:17:21the first of its kind.
0:17:21 > 0:17:26The pioneering heroics of these volunteers even made the news of the day.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31ARCHIVE: '...the RAF Mountain Rescue Service for saving airmen who crash in remote mountainous country.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35'The difficulties and dangers of search amid the rugged and fog-bound peaks
0:17:35 > 0:17:38'have been largely overcome by the use of radio.
0:17:38 > 0:17:45'A unit consists of an ambulance equipped with a powerful wireless set and a Jeep which acts as a tender.'
0:17:45 > 0:17:51The team had - would you believe? - normal RAF issue grey coats,
0:17:51 > 0:17:56and Army issue boots. That was about it.
0:17:56 > 0:18:03By January 1944, the Air Ministry agreed these Mountain Rescue teams were a necessity
0:18:03 > 0:18:07considering the number of crashes that there were on high ground.
0:18:07 > 0:18:13ARCHIVE: 'Negotiating a stretcher down a rocky mountainside is just about as difficult as it looks.'
0:18:13 > 0:18:21They are the heroes for me. In all weathers, they never said it's too damp or too wet to go out.
0:18:21 > 0:18:28They were off like a shot if they thought there was someone who could be saved on the mountains.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35By the 1950s, the RAF began to use helicopters in their search and rescue work.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39At the heart of the service today are the iconic Agusta Westland Sea Kings.
0:18:41 > 0:18:47Out of the five helicopters based at RAF Valley, two have to be on permanent standby
0:18:47 > 0:18:50and ready to be deployed at all times.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54That's a constant challenge for Mark Layton and the rest of the engineering crew.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59I've worked on Sea Kings for over eight years now.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05There's always something you can learn.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09They're old aircraft and they always throw up different challenges.
0:19:11 > 0:19:18These over 30-year-old Sea Kings have been going a fair few while.
0:19:18 > 0:19:26Apart from the skin of the aircraft, everything inside has probably changed at one point.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29They're workhorses. They keep going and they do their job
0:19:29 > 0:19:32when they're not sat in the hangar broken!
0:19:48 > 0:19:52In the Neath Valley, Rescue 169 from Chivenor is recovering an injured kayaker
0:19:52 > 0:19:55from the Sgwd y Pannwr waterfall.
0:19:55 > 0:20:02Hovering this low in a ravine is a very tricky manoeuvre for wannabe captain Taff Wilkins.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05With a suspected spinal injury, there's no time to waste.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10From the side door of the Sea King,
0:20:10 > 0:20:16radar operator Seaweed acts as a second pair of eyes for Taff, helping him with a difficult hover.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19No blowing trees. No blowing branches.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21All the people are clear.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Height good. Really nice hover, Taff.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Steady. Height good.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28No swing on the stretcher.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Tip to tail clear.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38- Creeping forward.- Yep, height good. Up five, please.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43OK, let's get up to a nice fly away height, please. You're clear. Roger fly away.
0:20:43 > 0:20:49Kayaker Tom Crowther is safe on board and Rachel gives an assessment of his condition.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51GROANS
0:20:51 > 0:20:52This is Tom. A possible lumbar.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56His breathing and everything else is fine. He's been stable throughout.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00He's very cold.
0:21:00 > 0:21:06The crew head off to the University of Wales hospital in Cardiff to get him some urgent medical treatment.
0:21:09 > 0:21:15The past ten years have seen a marked increase in call-outs to extreme sports accidents in Wales,
0:21:15 > 0:21:17in the south and north of the country.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24People now will stretch them limits because they know that, in a worst case scenario,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28they can pick up the mobile phone and call somebody in.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30That's why we see a general increase
0:21:30 > 0:21:34in the number of rescues we are being called out to.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38A lone paraglider's helmet camera
0:21:38 > 0:21:43catches a dramatic view of the Glyder range in Snowdonia as he descends.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47But this paraglider is in trouble.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52He's losing height too quickly and is desperate to find a clear place to land.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02Winchman Ed Griffiths and the rest of Rescue 122
0:22:02 > 0:22:06have just dropped off their second casualty of the day at Ysbyty Gwynedd,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10when the cry for help comes in from the Glyder range.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13VOICE ON RADIO
0:22:13 > 0:22:15- RADIO:- This is 122. Over.
0:22:15 > 0:22:21You're wanted on another job. We have a collapsed paraglider...
0:22:23 > 0:22:29Rescue 122 are on their third job of the day, and they have no time to refuel.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34- How much fuel?- We've got one hour, 15 endurance.- Copy.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39Rescue 122 copies. 661587.
0:22:39 > 0:22:45Five minutes to scene. I have one hour, 15 minutes endurance.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56Captain Thomas Bunn and Radar Operator Nick Swannick assess the situation.
0:22:56 > 0:23:02- So it's a crashed paraglider.- Yep. We have a possible casualty on scene to consider.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09We'll have a look first. Yeah.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22I'm on the northern edge of the Glyder.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27Ed and the crew are looking for the crashed paraglider on the northern edge of the Glyder range
0:23:27 > 0:23:28on Bristly Ridge.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33Roger. Entering the bowl, guys, next to Bristly Ridge.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Eyes out!
0:23:35 > 0:23:43As luck would have it, an off-duty Mountain Rescue volunteer has already found the downed paraglider.
0:23:43 > 0:23:50- Is that the casualty?- That could be the MR. They're going to be with him, aren't they?
0:23:50 > 0:23:51- See the unit to the left?- Yeah. OK.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57But now Rescue 122 face the same problem as the paraglider.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59They need to land the Sea King to save fuel
0:23:59 > 0:24:02but the terrain is too rocky.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06- Ed is walking to the injury. Let's just winch down.- OK.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08The crew opt for the winch-down.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Steady.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Steady. On the ground.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Unhooked. Empty hook.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22The paraglider has survived the accident
0:24:22 > 0:24:25but Ed knows that this is a potential spinal injury
0:24:25 > 0:24:28and he must immobilise him as soon as possible.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32- Are you OK with needles? - Yes.- Yes, 122 mobile.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Approximately two-zero minutes while I secure the casualty.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36So you can nip for gas and come back.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42The Sea King heads off to refuel.
0:24:42 > 0:24:43You're getting cold, are you?
0:24:45 > 0:24:49After falling a 130 feet, remarkably 52-year-old Peter Hope from Anglesey
0:24:49 > 0:24:52has lived to tell the tale.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57'I remember the land rushing up at me.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59'I remember landing on my feet
0:24:59 > 0:25:04'and that's when I felt as though I'd hurt myself.'
0:25:04 > 0:25:06Ready, brace, roll. Nice and slowly.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Nice and slowly. Roll him over. Right.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Let's wrap him like a sausage roll.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15'Two vertebrae crushed which caused the fracture.'
0:25:15 > 0:25:19It's quite fortunate that is was only those two, I think.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28'The incident itself hasn't put me off paragliding.'
0:25:29 > 0:25:34'Paragliding is a great sport. It's, um...'
0:25:34 > 0:25:40People say you're free as a bird. It's flying without a motor.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42It's great.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49'At the moment I want to go up and fly.'
0:25:49 > 0:25:52- How is he, Ed?- He's OK. Yeah.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54He's dropped 150ft, landed on his feet,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57and he's complaining of back pain.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01So...but he's all stable. There's no, you know, everything is normal.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Just the pain in his spine.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05'It's the 70th anniversary of the RAF Rescue.'
0:26:05 > 0:26:10It's a great service. To have it on our doorstep is fantastic.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14I wouldn't like to say that I'd like to use them again
0:26:14 > 0:26:16but it's nice to know they're there.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26Peter only had to spend a day in hospital before being released in a back brace.
0:26:26 > 0:26:27He has to wear it for three months
0:26:27 > 0:26:31before he even thinks of taking to the skies again.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Three jobs and I've had 20 minutes for a chicken burger,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40in amongst the last seven hours!
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Hopefully we'll get a break to get something to drink and eat now,
0:26:43 > 0:26:45before the next one comes in.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51It's been a marathon weekend for the Search and Rescue force.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Kayaker Tom Crowther had compressed his lower vertebrae
0:26:54 > 0:26:58and needed five days in hospital to recover from his fall.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00After dropping him at Heath Hospital Cardiff,
0:27:00 > 0:27:04Taff and the crew head back to base.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06We'll have a cheese and beans toastie.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Beans on toast with cheese!
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- Cheese and beans on, yeah! - I'll do that.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15After her birthday surprise on Crib Goch,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Fiona McArthur hobbled out in plaster
0:27:18 > 0:27:20from Ysbyty Gwynedd later that day.
0:27:20 > 0:27:21My hands are all sweaty!
0:27:21 > 0:27:27And it's a welcome end of shift at RAF Valley, especially for Ed, with Helen and Xavier to greet him.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31But as one shift comes to an end,
0:27:31 > 0:27:35another begins for the RAF's Search and Rescue team.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39A 59-year-old male with an ankle injury.
0:27:40 > 0:27:46To know that that service is there is...a great comfort.
0:27:46 > 0:27:51You know, you haven't got to try and get off the hill with injuries.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54It's a fantastic service.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58Next time on Helicopter Rescue:
0:27:58 > 0:28:03It's half-term week - one of the force's busiest times of year.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07Ed and the crew are between a rock and a hard place,
0:28:07 > 0:28:11as they battle to save an injured student on treacherous coastline.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15We just weren't able to carry her over that sort of terrain.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17Time and tide wait for no man - especially this one.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21A call for help comes in from a cliff edge in South Wales.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26This guy's on a ledge, so we don't want to blow him off. He's in trouble, for sure.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28And it's a night of high drama,
0:28:28 > 0:28:30as the Search and Rescue force fly to Mid Wales
0:28:30 > 0:28:34to try to save a father and son from an uncertain fate.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38Steady. That's the most difficult job I've ever had to do.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd