11,000 missions by the side of WA

Every mission starts with a call for help.

It could be a farmer injured hundreds of kilometres away from a hospital, a search for a missing person in remote terrain or a serious crash on a regional road. Across a range of emergencies, when Western Australians need urgent help, the RAC Rescue helicopters are by their side.

As of Thursday 9th April 2026, RAC Rescue helicopters have responded to 11,000 missions, rescuing people in urgent and often life-threatening situations. The 11,000th mission was to the Stirling Ranges, where a patient was waiting for help after fracturing their ankle during a hike. The crew safely hoisted down to rescue the patient before taking them to Albany Airport, where they were then transported to seek treatment.

More than a number

Since taking to the skies in 2003, the RAC Rescue helicopters have become a vital part of the Western Australia’s emergency response network, working alongside other emergency services including St John WA, WA Police and our frontline DFES personnel and volunteers.

Behind every one of the 11,000 missions is a highly skilled crew, including pilots, critical care paramedics, aircrew officers, engineers and administration staff who work together to ensure RAC Rescue is there when it matters.

The pilots are highly skilled in flying to places where other emergency services can’t reach, whether that’s responding to an incident on the side of Bluff Knoll, assisting a boat in need of help at sea or flying on night vision goggles to inaccessible terrain. They operate in unpredictable conditions and often challenging environments.

By your side

In partnership with RAC, the Rac Rescue helicopters exists for one clear purpose. To save lives and be there for Western Australians when we are the right service to respond.

While 11,000 missions mark a significant milestone for RAC Rescue, they also represent people we have supported in some of their most difficult moments. We hope those we have helped continue to recover, reconnect with loved ones and carry with them the knowledge that RAC Rescue was by their side. For those who are no longer with us, our thoughts remain with their families and loved ones.