A very sad day today (June 30th 2017) as the last day of operations for the Portland Coastguard SAR Helicopter.

After more than two decades in service and a petition of over 180,000 signatures to save it, the search and rescue helicopter base will cease to be operational as a regional service replaces it and the nearest base becomes Lee-on-Solent in Hampshire.

We are all incredibly indebted to the amazing service that we have had from all the flights and personnel based at Portland.

It has been particularly emotional for us at O’Three to wave goodbye to the SAR as it has been a part of our lives for so many years.
We are very conscious of all the lives they have saved across the vast operational area they covered, and how much safer we have all felt knowing they were there.

Only time will tell whether this decision was the correct decision.

There will be farewell ceremony tomorrow, Saturday 1st July some information from Cllr David Thurston (Portland Town Mayor):

The Ceremony in the SAR Hangar is severely restricted for numbers and fully allocated, however there is a further ceremony outside the base on the harbour-side when a stone memorial will be dedicated to the Staff and Crews.This will be at 2.30 approx. and all are invited .