Iceland: hours without a rescue helicopter

Iceland Review, citing Vísir and Morgunblaðið, reports that Iceland’s Coast Guard (Landhelgisgæslan) was left for several hours this week without a flight-ready rescue helicopter after a fault grounded its only available aircraft.

Communications director Ásgeir Erlendsson said the fault was minor and unexpected (on Tuesday) and the helicopter was made flight-ready again within a few hours — a temporary coverage gap, not a shutdown of the service.

The fleet has three helicopters, with one usually in long-term maintenance. The aim is to keep two available, though for part of the year only one may be ready. Justice Minister Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir said engineer staffing and shift arrangements have been adjusted to shorten response to such faults.