THE AIR AMBULANCE was called out twice over the past three days, the Air Corps revealed today.

Two missions were successfully completed over the Christmas period, the Defence Forces said in a statement.

This morning, a patient was transported by the Air Corps from Baldonnel to Heathrow for onward transfer to a London hospital.

The CASA departed Casement Aerodrome at 7.30am and landed in Heathrow at 9am. The patient then continued the journey to hospital by ambulance.

On Christmas Eve night an Air Corps AW139 helicopter conducted an Air Ambulance mission between Dublin and Cork using specialist Night Vision Goggles (NVG). Air Corps pilots are the only pilots in the State with the capability to fly using NVG.

The Air Corps has completed 70 Air Ambulance missions to date in 2011. Fixed wing and rotary wing crews remain on standby as emergency air ambulances 365 days a year.

Today’s crew were on standby since 9am on Christmas Day.