The best way to appreciate Barbuda’s unique beauty just might be from the air. I’m in the cockpit of an Airbus EC130 CalvinAir helicopter and, as pilot Mark Fleming tilts the controls, the island rushes toward us. It appears like a rainbow tourmaline, a crystalline speck of green forest fringed by white and pink sand, in a vast sea of blue.
A 42-year-old man is now recovering at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC) after allegedly receiving a stab wound to the lower right abdomen on the sister-isle over the weekend.
The patient was medically evacuated to seek further surgical attention on the mainland.
When disaster strikes at sea, every second counts in bringing those on board to safety. Locating boat passengers quickly – especially in choppy seas – can mean the difference between life and death. Fisher folk, sailors and cruisers alike will be better protected on the water thanks to the launch of a new helicopter service.
CalvinAir Helicopters has pledged to lend a hand to the Antigua and Barbuda Search and Rescue (ABSAR) in the event of an emergency.