London ambulance crews are using underwater drones to help rescue people who disappear beneath the surface of rivers, lakes, canals and reservoirs.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The London Ambulance Service has bought four remotely operated drones for its specialist Hazardous Area Response Team, known as HART. The devices carry cameras and lights, allowing paramedics to see underwater from the bank. A grab arm can attach to a casualty and pull them back towards shore.
The drones can be deployed in under two minutes and can travel up to 200 metres from the operator. They can also provide information about water depth and temperature, while sonar equipment is used to help search beneath the surface.
Paramedics say speed is critical in drowning cases, as a person can survive without oxygen for only a few minutes. Cold water can also quickly weaken swimmers.
The service says around 400 people drown in the UK each year, with many incidents occurring in inland waters.
The drones cannot remove all the risks of water rescue, but they give crews another way to search for casualties while reducing the danger to rescuers.
