Bristow shows what it can do - in Curaçao

The Bristow team in Curaçao proved they've got the capabilities to deliver - and some - when they were called on to respond to five remarkably different missions in the space of just a few days in January.

From mountain rescue to counter-narcotics ops; missing persons to medevacs, the team showed what Bristow's operation in Curaçao is really all about.

Check out this summary of what just a few days can look like in the Caribbean, as sent in from Curaçao resident Bristow Captain Alex Pollitt - and it's not all golden sands and swaying palm trees…

Mission 1: Pre‑Dawn Special Air Mission for Counter‑Narcotics Operations in the Dutch Caribbean region

The high tempo kicked off before dawn with a scramble for a Special Air Mission in support of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard’s counter‑narcotics efforts. All such operations take place in the Dutch Caribbean region, which forms part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Lifting into the darkness, the crew were tasked to sweep the coastline of Aruba with FLIR and night‑vision systems and, as the first light crept in, multiple suspicious packages began appearing along a remote stretch of beach.

Hovering overhead, the crew guided ground units to each location, helping the authorities safely recover several bundles of drugs.

Mission 2: Search for missing walkers in the scorching midday sun.

Shortly after midday, in the heat of the Caribbean sun, Bristow’s AW139, callsign Coast Guard 38 was called to assist with a search for two missing walkers who had become lost in the hills and low bush of inland Curaçao.

The danger of heat-stroke is present year-round in this part of the world, but thankfully the Bristow team located the disorientated trekkers from the air and winched them to safety before they came to grief.

Mission 3: Night medevac with the Dutch Navy

That same night, at 23:20 local time, the crew were launched again, this time for an urgent medical evacuation from the Royal Netherlands Navy Holland-class offshore patrol vessel, HMNLS Friesland, located over 150 miles from Curaçao.

After a quick top‑up of Jet A-1 fuel, the team departed into the night while the vessel steamed towards the island at 18 knots. On scene, the winchman and stretcher were lowered onto the port‑quarter helideck, and the navy nurse and patient were safely hoisted aboard and transported to the Coast Guard’s Hato Airport base for handover to the ambulance service.

The long-range midnight medevac demonstrated operational coordination between the Coast Guard and the Dutch Navy in the region.

Mission 4: Early‑morning mountain rescue. Launch aborted, but readiness proven.

Barely on the ground and reset from the night’s medical evacuation, helicopter and crew were pre‑alerted again at 07:30 by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre, this time to evacuate a faller with a head‑injury close to Curaçao's highest peak, Mount Christoffel.

Although eventually cancelled while the helicopter was launching, the provision of mountain rescue, another essential capability, further highlights the flexibility and capability of our crews.

Mission 5: Long‑Range medevac from the middle of the Caribbean Sea.

The following afternoon, Coast Guard 38 was airborne once more for a long‑range medevac, this time from cruise ship AIDA Perla, which initially reported its position nearly 200 miles east of Curaçao.

As the only rescue helicopter permanently based in the region, this sortie required the team to venture deep into its search and rescue area.

With the ship making 17 knots toward Curaçao, the mission demanded careful coordination to ensure clear communication and a safe and uneventful routing towards the vessel.

Once overhead, the winchman was lowered onto the top deck, and the patient was safely hoisted aboard. The crew returned to base and handed the patient over to ambulance services just before 4AM, closing out a demanding offshore operation in the quietest hours of the night as well as an exceptionally busy few days of activity.

“The first month of 2026 delivered a short but intense stretch which showcased exactly what Bristow’s Curacao operation is all about,” said Captain Alex Pollitt. “The team shifted quickly and efficiently between day-night offshore medevacs, maritime security missions, inland search operations, and military support, sometimes with only minutes between callouts. This adaptability is exactly what allows Bristow’s crews to stand ready for whatever the Coast Guard, and the region, needs next.”