China's tech hub Shenzhen uses helicopters for road accident rescue

Traffic police in the city of Shenzhen, southern China's Guangdong province, said Friday that they had established a helicopter rescue team for major traffic accidents.

The team now has nine helicopters from a local helicopter company. The number will increase to 14 by the end of the year.

The Shenzhen municipal traffic police bureau said they will mobilize the choppers to assist with road accidents involving heavy casualties when it is difficult for rescuers on the ground to reach the site.

The bureau said the helicopters will be equipped with medical equipment and medical staff during rescue operations. The transportation will be free of charge in life-threatening situations.

The bureau and the helicopter company will also share data on black spots on highways and remote mountain roads to further enhance the efficiency of helicopter rescue.

On Feb 15, traffic police in Shenzhen used a helicopter to transport two injured people in a road accident from Heyuan, another city in Guangdong, to Shenzhen.