Rescuers' new faster helicopter

The AW139 can fly at a cruising speed of 140 knots

Coastguards have taken delivery of the first of three helicopters, which can travel faster and further to rescue casualties at sea.

The AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters, designed as search and rescue (SAR) aircraft, will be based at Portland, Dorset and Lee-on-the-Solent.

The two at Lee-on-the-Solent will operate 24 hours a day, the other, at Portland, on a 12-hour daytime basis.

Contractors CHC Helicopters will also manage a service based at Stornoway.

Winch speed

The AW139 can fly at a cruising speed of 140 knots with a top speed of 167 knots, compared with the 110 knot cruising and 130 top speed of the previous Sikorsky helicopters used by the coastguard.

The AW139 also has a 40% increase in winch speed and has a maximum flight time of three hours and 20 minutes.

Peter Cardy, chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), said: "These new aircraft will be able to fly more quickly, and will be able to fly farther to people in distress at sea than those currently in use.

"They have been specifically kitted with various items of advanced technical equipment, including an onboard automatic identification system (AIS), specifically designed for the challenges of search and rescue in the 21st Century."

Chief pilot Richard Norris said: "There's a big difference in power which means we'll be in a safer position when we are winching."