Transport Helicopter Squadron receives the prize Pride of Croatia (“Ponos Hrvatske”)
The members of the Transport Helicopter Squadron of the 93rd Air Force and Air Defence Base received the prize titled Pride of Croatia („Ponos Hrvatske“) at the ceremony in the Museum of Modern Art in Zagreb on 19 January 2014, granted by the Association bearing the same name („Ponos Hrvatske“) to the individuals demonstrating outstanding humanity, courage and altruism. The Transport Helicopter Squadron has been one of the 24 recipients, as decided by a 4-member jury.
The ceremony was attended by the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, General Drago Lovrić, the Commander of the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence, Brig. Gen. Dražen Ščuri and the Commander of the 93rd Air Base, Lt. Col. Karol Lučan.
The prize-awarding ceremony was held under the high auspices of the President of the Republic of Croatia Ivo Josipović, who extended his personal congratulations to the recipients.
The Squadron has been nominated for its participation in emergency medical flights conducted jointly by the medical teams of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia and in the search-and-rescue missions undertaken with the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service, as well as for the transportation of persons stranded at inaccessible spots.
In addition, using the Mi-8 MTV the Squadron has also conducted aerial firefighting missions and transportation of firemen and their equipment to the firesites.
The Squadron Commander, Capt. Ante Siniša Kozina revealed that the children- and infant-saving missions were the most emotionally charged.
In over 1200 emergency flights performed in the course of the year 2013 the crews of the Base at Divulje transported as many as 486 patients, both Croatian residents and visiting persons, and some 950 persons accompanying the medical teams. The Squadron also participated in 19 search-and-rescue missions recovering nine persons.
During the emergency flight from the island of Korčula in August 2013 a baby was born aboard the helicopter.
Through the project “Pull“ , co-organised by the University Hospital Centre of Split and the 93rd Croatian Air Force and Air Defence Base, over the past 11-year period the Squadron has transported 74 infants. The first such mission was conducted in January 2003. The crew also remembers the maiden mission of transporting the twins in incubators from Dubrovnik to Split in February 2011.