Intelligence Agency receives Sikorsky S-76A helicopter for medical evacuation
The Canadian company Helijet International has transferred to the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine a Sikorsky S-76A helicopter worth over $700,000 for medical evacuation.
As reported by the correspondent of Interfax-Ukraine, the helicopter is fully equipped and is already practically ready for use. The helicopter will serve to save lives in Ukraine, it will carry out medical evacuation of civilians and military personnel.
President of Helijet International Daniel Sitnam, who himself is a pilot with 35 years of experience, said it is a great honor for him to have the opportunity to transfer the Sikorsky S-76A helicopter to Ukraine.
He said they have been working on this for about a year with many great partners and added that this was one of the greatest experiences for their employees and people in their company – to ensure the transfer of this helicopter to Ukraine.
Head of the Ministry of Defense's Main Intelligence Agency Kyrylo Budanov thanked the President of Helijet and the people of Canada for their help.
"Thank you for saving our lives. Unfortunately, we really need helicopters. I hope that this helicopter will save the lives of our employees and military personnel of the entire sector of the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine," Budanov said.
Sitnam said the helicopter is fully operational, but is no longer used under contract in Canada as a helicopter for providing medical assistance. According to him, such helicopters cost from CAD 1 to 2 million, and it will take about a year to carry out all the necessary measures for the transfer of the helicopter.
Maple Hope Foundation Executive Director Svitlana Kominko said the helicopter shipment was made possible thanks to a collaboration with the Ukrainian World Congress and "organizations and people who believed in this idea, including Ukrainians in Canada and around the world, who helped raise funds to transport the helicopter to Ukraine." To help transport the helicopter, the Maple Hope Foundation and the UWC launched a national online crowdfunding campaign that allowed Ukrainians to join the mission to deliver the rescue helicopter. Some $101,000 for the transportation was raised in three weeks, a record time, Kominko added.
"To make this happen, we launched a huge crowdfunding campaign. This was the biggest Christmas gift from the Ukrainian diaspora to the people of Ukraine, to save lives. Life is the greatest value. And if this helicopter saves at least one life, then it was all worth it," she said.
Head of the Ukrainian World Congress mission Andriy Shevchenko noted the symbolism of the Sikorsky helicopter "returning to the hometown of aircraft designer Ihor Sikorsky to help accelerate Ukraine's victory."
"When Ukrainians and friends of Ukraine work together, there is nothing we cannot do, there is no technology or weapon we cannot find, and there is no mountain we will not move for the sake of victory," Shevchenko said.
As the Intelligence Agency pilot (Maestro) said, the donated helicopter can accommodate four medical workers and one seriously injured person. The helicopter is capable of performing medical evacuation in any weather, as well as at night. The condition of the wounded person in the helicopter can be maintained for about three hours thanks to the necessary equipment, the intelligence agency said.