Bristow’s Gulf of Mexico search and rescue team reached 1,000 missions for the year in early November, rescuing or assisting 1,065 people, according to a prepared statement from the compay.

Sixty-six percent of those missions were COVID-related, the company said.

“We have received significant praise from customers on the stellar SAR service our team delivers every day,” Operations Manager Jon Kruse said. “They have commended the outstanding work of the team and truly appreciate the safe, efficient and reliable service they receive from Bristow.”

In the company statement, Kruse credited the team’s passion, dedication and training for the outstanding service they provide every day.

Year-to-date GOM missions in 2021 substantially surpassed SAR missions in the region in 2018 and 2019 when they amounted to 144 and 185, respectively. Bristow’s GOM SAR team is operating from New Iberia following extensive damage to its base at Galliano from Hurricane Ida earlier in the year.

“We keep a rigorous training regimen with varied scenarios that prepare us for any situation,” Kruse said. “We are prepared to work with any size vessel, day or night, in different weather and sea conditions. Whether it’s hurricanes, medical, Covid, boats dead in the water, open water, mass casualty situations—we’re ready to respond. We want to do the most amount of good for the most amount of people, and the team, including our top-notch mechanics, puts in the work to remain prepared.”