The “Angels of the sky”

by Luca Catalano Gonzaga

They call them “Angels of heaven” because they descend from above to bring immediate relief after the rescue operation at sea. On board the helicopters or aircrafts, the men and women of the 2nd Unit of the Italian Coast Guard Plane Catania are on duty with an alarm service called “Search and Rescue”. The objective is to provide emergency medical assistance to those migrants dispersed in water that most of the time need immediate care. This very delicate and risky practice requires a rigorous preparation and disciplined personnel. The photographs by Luca Catalano Gonzaga show the phases of training and maintenance of the aircrafts to ensure effective and timely rescue operations, waiting for the next call from the Mediterranean waters. (text by Sebastian Caputo).