Hovertravel Marks Emergency Services Day With 126 Lifesaving Missions

To mark Emergency Services Day today (September 9), Hovertravel has revealed its Island Rescue service has carried out 126 rapid emergency stretcher transfers between the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth in the past year – averaging more than two lifesaving missions every week.

The service, run in partnership with the Isle of Wight NHS Trust and South Central Ambulance Service, uses Hovertravel’s unique hovercraft to move stretcher patients across the Solent in just minutes.

The speed of the transfer means patients can access urgent hospital treatment without delay, while paramedic teams are able to return to the Island far quicker than with any other method — keeping resources available for local residents.

Loretta Lale, Head of Marketing at Hovertravel, said:

“Everyone at Hovertravel is honoured and humbled to work as part of a much wider team of emergency services personnel who help to save lives together.

"Our crews train side by side with paramedics and emergency responders, and we are proud that our unique hovercraft capability plays such an important role in helping patients when time matters most.”

The Island Rescue service has won multiple awards for innovation and teamwork, thanks to the seamless collaboration between Hovertravel, ambulance crews, NHS clinicians, and other emergency services — all working towards one shared goal: putting patients first.

As the UK observes Emergency Services Day, Hovertravel is also paying tribute to the dedication of paramedics, ambulance crews, NHS staff, coastguard teams, fire and police services, recognising the vital role they play in keeping Island communities safe every day.