 The fleet of Sea King helicopters needs to be replaced |
Mountain rescue teams have voiced fears that moves to partly privatise search and rescue helicopters may lead to casualties having to pay to be rescued. RAF and Navy teams currently carry out the rescues for free because they are regarded as invaluable training.
Scottish rescue teams fear the Ministry of Defence will want to make people pay once it becomes clear how much it costs to rescue civilians using helicopters.
But the MoD said it had "no current plans" to impose charges.
It announced last week that the RAF and Navy search and rescue services would be partly privatised.
The MoD said the Joint Search and Rescue Helicopter (SAR-H) project would go ahead as a Private Finance Initiative.
It wants the replacements for the existing fleet of Sea King search and rescue helicopters to be provided by a commercial company.
The government said the move would deliver the same high standards as the current service and provide better value.
But the Scottish National Party warned that replacing the services could hit standards and lead to job losses.
Scotland's mountain rescue teams have also voiced fears.
Rescue mission
They believe it is only a matter of time before the MoD wants to make casualties pay for helicopter rescues, as already happens in some other European countries.
Cameron McNeish, the editor of the Great Outdoors Magazine, said: "If this is privatised then there will be many recoverable costs.
"How are these private companies going to recover these costs? Will they charge the MoD every time they go out on a rescue mission?
"Will they also charge the MoD, and will the MoD pay, if they go out to rescue a mountaineer who gets into difficulties?"
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How are these private companies going to recover these costs?
