Medical evacuation from Danish-flagged vessel Skoven off Łeba. Joint SAR operation in the Baltic Sea

A coordinated medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) was carried out in the Baltic Sea following a request transmitted by JRCC Denmark to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Gdynia (MRCC Gdynia).

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20 february 2026   |   10:39   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

fot. MSPiR SAR

The Danish-flagged vessel Skoven was located off Łeba when the need for urgent evacuation of a crew member was reported. Upon receiving the notification, MRCC Gdynia initiated standard search and rescue procedures and deployed both surface and air assets.

SAR assets deployed: m/s Huragan and W-3WARM helicopter

The Polish maritime SAR service – Morska Służba Poszukiwania i Ratownictwa (MSPiR) – dispatched the rescue vessel m/s Huragan. At the same time, a W-3WARM SAR helicopter operating under the call sign Rescue 505 was scrambled from Darłowo. The aircraft operates within the structures of the Polish Navy.

After locating the vessel, the helicopter crew hoisted the patient on board and transported him to a hospital in Wejherowo. At approximately 12:30 local time, the patient was handed over to the Polish State Emergency Medical Service.

For MSPiR, the mission marked the 44th SAR operation conducted this year. For the W-3WARM crew, it was the sixth medical emergency sortie in 2026 launched under the “rescue alarm - medical assistance” procedure. Following completion of the task, the helicopter returned to its home base and restored operational readiness.

Cross-border coordination in the Baltic Sea SAR system

The case highlights the operational framework of cross-border maritime search and rescue cooperation in the Baltic Sea region. The initial notification from JRCC Denmark and the rapid response coordinated by MRCC Gdynia confirm the effectiveness of established international SAR procedures.

According to operational data released in the official communication, aircrews of the Gdynia-based Naval Aviation Brigade have carried out 832 search and rescue missions since the establishment of the SAR duty system, assisting a total of 451 persons.

Medical evacuations from vessels remain a critical component of maritime safety in the Baltic Sea, particularly along busy shipping routes and in areas of intensified maritime traffic. The operation involving Skoven underscores the importance of integrated response capabilities combining civilian maritime rescue services and naval aviation assets.

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ewakuacja medyczna ze statku akcja SAR Bałtyk MRCK Gdynia śmigłowiec W-3WARM morska służba poszukiwania i ratownictwa

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