Debate to be held on coastguard helicopter
Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael has secured a debate on the future of coastguard helicopter services following plans to quadruple response times.
Mr Carmichael previously led a debate on the issue in November 2023, following revelations about the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s plans to quadruple the emergency response time for the helicopter service based at Sumburgh from 15 minutes to 60.
During that debate, the then-government committed to a review of the proposals, which was supposed to be published by the end of 2024 but has yet to be made public.
Speaking ahead of the debate, Mr Carmichael said: "I am glad to secure this debate to get some definitive answers on the future of the search-and-rescue helicopter service in the isles. Ministers in the previous government committed to a review which was to report last year but there has been no sign of it as of yet. We cannot wait any longer.
“The planned quadrupling of response times could easily be the difference between life and death at sea. The blunt truth is that the more you strip back these services the more likely it will be that people fall through the gaps and lives are lost."
The debate will be held on Tuesday 14th January.
Read the full story in this week's Shetland Times.