WATCH: Plunging from the chopper to the sea
Elite IDF rescue unit 669 has been drilling operations that involve leaping from the helicopter to the sea without cables to rescue persons and important equipment; the IDF has released a video of their exciting exercise.
The Israel Air Force's (IAF) Airborne Rescue and Evacuation Unit 669 has begun exercises in recent months for direct leaps into the water to rescue the injured from the sea, directly from the helicopter, without cables, all to minimize the extraction time. The IDF has recorded and released documentation on Thursday of these drills.
A senior officer in 669 explained, "Swimming is the hardest task for a rescuer, and also for the rescuee, because it requires a different physical and mental ability. The drill in February included dealing with high seas and cold water. The two teams jumped from the helicopter and connected the rescuees to the chopper's line. The rescue itself lasts from seconds to minutes, but the entire event took about two hours."
In the video, the soldiers deal with a complicated challenge: rescuing submariners. The unit's soldiers also drilled in recovering important parts of aircrafts.
669 is one of the IDF's most select units, and soldiers reach it after competitive trials of physical exertion. Over the past year, its soldiers have trained in the United States on the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, which the IAF is to acquire in the coming years.
