Response to interpellation 2024/25:409 on rescue helicopters
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
KD argues that the Swedish Maritime Administration's presence in Kiruna is intended for training in mountain environments 1 and that the sea rescue mission in the southern Baltic Sea can be maintained through cooperation 1. KD emphasizes that critical societal activities must be maintained in the current security policy situation 1 2 3 and that the core of the operations must not be negatively affected 4. KD underlines that no decisions regarding helicopter bases have been made yet 2 3 4. S considers that the Swedish Maritime Administration's economic problems require significant changes 5 and that a reduction of helicopter bases worsens safety in densely populated areas 5. S argues that a permanent base in Kiruna should exist year-round and that the government should provide additional resources 6.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Mr. Speaker! Mattias Ottosson has asked me if I intend to take measures so that both northern Sweden and the southern Baltic Sea have an acceptable rescue readiness.
The reason why the Swedish Maritime Administration is in Kiruna for a couple of months every winter with a helicopter is so that they can practice flight rescue in a mountain environment. The purpose is thus not to reinforce the Police Authority with mountain rescue resources, even though the Swedish Maritime Administration assists in mountain rescue if the Police Authority should lack resources for its mission.
The background for the Swedish Maritime Administration's continuous training in mountain environments is the accident that occurred in 2012 when a Norwegian military aircraft crashed in the Kebnekaise mountains. During the subsequent rescue operation, it became apparent how complicated it can be to both locate and carry out a rescue operation at an aircraft crash in roadless terrain in the mountains during winter.
The Swedish Maritime Administration assesses that the authority can maintain the sea rescue mission in the southern Baltic Sea despite this relocation. The Swedish Maritime Administration has a close cooperation with and receives continuous support from other Swedish authorities with maritime resources as well as from the Swedish Sea Rescue Society. In addition to this, the Swedish Maritime Administration has entered into cooperation agreements with all neighboring countries around the Baltic Sea so that the countries can mutually assist each other if needs arise, not least with helicopter resources, which occurs continuously. The Swedish Maritime Administration's rescue helicopters should be seen as part of a larger system of both Swedish and foreign rescue resources, both maritime and flying units.
The Swedish Maritime Administration has for some time struggled with a weak economy. In the Swedish Maritime Administration's three-year plan, which was submitted to the government a few weeks ago and is now being analyzed within the Government Offices, it is detailed what the agency considers necessary to get the finances in order.
In the three-year plan, savings are proposed, among other things, within the sea and flight rescue service. I want to be clear, however, that it is extremely important that the critical societal activities within the authority can be maintained, not least with regard to the geopolitical situation in which Sweden finds itself. This is something that the Swedish Maritime Administration must take into account when savings measures are now being planned.
Mattias Ottosson (S)
Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much, Minister Andreas Carlson, for the answer!
The interpellation was submitted quite a while ago, on February 12. Now we are well into March. A bit has happened during this time.
The Swedish Maritime Administration has submitted its three-year plan, which means they have clearly signaled, in and of itself, economic problems. Significant changes will need to be made regarding air and sea rescue, but also regarding other activities that are important for safety and for the kingdom to function.
I visited the port of Oxelösund on Monday. They have an immensely important operation there. There is a maritime shuttle between Luleå and Oxelösund to supply SSAB with various operations. They feel a great deal of anxiety now that the icebreaker operations are being questioned.
It was already the case last year that the resources we had were not sufficient. That led to the Swedish Maritime Administration purchasing a new icebreaker. It would be very strange if that activity were to be phased out immediately now.
The economic problems that exist are known. I know that Statskontoret has looked at the organizational model that Sjöfartsverket has and suggested some things, how it could be changed. I have asked the question earlier to the Minister and then received the answer that this is being prepared at the department. I repeat the question today: How far has one come with this preparation?
I will now return briefly to the helicopter operations. What I am actually looking for is that there should be a permanent staffing even in northern Norrland, in Kiruna. Today there are helicopters in five locations – Säve in Gothenburg, Kristianstad, Visby, Umeå and Norrtälje. Then there is an extra helicopter in case one should go down, and there is a further one that is undergoing longer maintenance. Actually, one would need to expand it with one more helicopter to be able to secure the entire kingdom.
But now we have landed in a discussion about moving from five to three helicopter bases. It is clear that it worsens security quite significantly. The helicopters and the Swedish Maritime Administration's operations are financed in somewhat different ways. When it comes to what concerns aviation, one has support from Eurocontrol, i.e., the European aviation organization. One has an agreement with the Armed Forces. One collects fairway charges and finances it in that way. There is also the state grant, or the government's appropriation, which concerns a broad operation.
It is clear that this could have quite serious consequences. In my world, it is primarily Kristianstad and Norrtälje that would be affected if one were to find a solution where one tries to cover quite a lot. Then the Stockholm archipelago would be left without a helicopter. That would also include the southern Baltic Sea and the Öresund. It is, therefore, a densely populated and fairly heavily trafficked area.
It is clear that this would have consequences for authorities, for different companies, for shipping companies and for ordinary Swedes moving in the area. The risk is greater that something happens.
The second question to the Minister is: Will the government in the spring budget allocate funds so that we avoid ending up in this situation?
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Mr. Speaker! The question concerning mountain rescue and the mountain environment, I have answered and elaborated on well: It is primarily about training activities, and it is important to maintain them.
I note the member's request that one should expand to have a fixed base even in that part. It is, of course, the member's freedom to request, but the question posed in the interpellation concerns whether I intend to take measures so that both northern Sweden and the southern Baltic Sea have acceptable rescue readiness. I have described what that rescue readiness looks like also in cooperation with the countries around the Baltic Sea, so I hope that the member is satisfied with the answer. It is important for me, Mr. Speaker, to provide answers to questions in the chamber.
The second question raised here, I elaborated on in response to three interpellations last week here in the chamber, Mr. Speaker, and I was then very clear that no measures have been taken yet. The Swedish Maritime Administration has provided a very clear basis in its three-year plan, and it is something that we take very seriously and are analyzing at high speed. I have also said that we intend to return both in the short term and in the long term.
It is about both the circumstances that Ottosson raises here regarding helicopter bases and about icebreakers and the long-term financing. Mattias Ottosson knows very well how the work in the government functions and in budget processes, and we will return when we have a decision.
One thing I want to emphasize is that the core of Sjöfartsverket's important functions should not be affected too negatively or be threatened in a security policy situation where we really need this type of resources. How it is to be done is ultimately a matter for Sjöfartsverket, which is now handling its savings plans. They have also been very clear to the government regarding what is required, and we will, of course, return to that.
I noted in the discussion last week that the members took it as a clear message that a decision has not yet been made on this, that the government takes it seriously and that we will return both in the short and in the long term. I hope that Mattias Ottosson will be satisfied with that answer, for that is the answer I can give in the chamber today.
Mattias Ottosson (S)
Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much, Minister, for the answer!
I would like to delve further into Sweden's helicopter capability, which I now feel is under threat.
After the serious accident when a Norwegian Hercules flew into Kebnekaise, Swedish helicopter capability has been present during the winter half-year in northern Norrland, just as the Minister described. It is therefore called a training area. One is very active there; I know that, for example, during the last week, one has assisted the Norwegian authorities in various operations, so that cooperation exists up there.
Why is this important? It is of course not so much about shipping, but it is about the aviation activity that exists in the area, and it is of strategic importance for the Armed Forces. This is an incredibly interesting area. The Arctic is one of the hottest areas in terms of security policy, and the Swedish Air Force flies in the area daily.
Why is it done? In the eternal peace, the operations of Boden and Luleå were not decommissioned anyway, because it is a strategic area. The area also contains Vidsel – the world's second-largest training area. It is only in Sweden and in the American training area in the Nevada desert that one manages to handle combat aircraft that train with live ammunition and live weapons. Therefore, I think it is natural both in peacetime and in other times that the Swedish state has a presence with rescue operations here. It feels a bit strange if we do not have it. It should rather be strengthened. Therefore, I also think it is a bit strange when we move helicopters there during the winter half-year from southern Sweden. There should be one standing there year-round with that readiness.
I am fully aware that it is the police who are responsible for mountain rescue. But aviation is what the Swedish Maritime Administration is responsible for, and therefore I think it is important that such a helicopter exists. It is also important in order to be able to cooperate with our neighbors. In the response, the Minister describes that we have cooperation agreements with our neighboring countries and can help each other. But it cannot just be one-sided, so that if we remove a helicopter in southern Sweden, for example, Danish authorities should help us. We must be able to help them too. That is how it works, exactly as we have helped Norwegian authorities during the week.
I feel a concern that we will not be able to guarantee security if we go from five to three helicopters. In that case, I do not think we fulfill the goals we have set in this area.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Mr. Speaker! Thank you very much, Mattias Ottosson, for good points that underline the need to have functioning operations across all of Sweden but also the Nordic cooperation and cooperation with our other neighboring countries!
The Swedish Maritime Administration's helicopter operations were previously part of the Armed Forces and were transferred during the 1990s and 2000s to other operations in order to be incorporated into the Swedish Maritime Administration's rescue management function in 2012. The Sea Rescue Society has, however, always been under the Swedish Maritime Administration, and for aviation, the rescue management function was moved from the Civil Aviation Administration to the Swedish Maritime Administration in 2010. There is, therefore, a history here.
It is also important to look forward, and in that regard, I want to emphasize once again that no decisions have been made. It is important that upcoming decisions are made based on the security policy situation and based on the needs of other functions where we make a very strong, powerful, and rapid reinforcement of the Swedish defense. These helicopter bases also need to be seen in light of this and the security policy era that we live in.
There are good arguments, of course, but what is important here and now is to emphasize that the proposals that Sjöfartsverket has developed in its three-year plan have not yet been decided. We will return to the issue both in the short and in the long term.
Mattias Ottosson (S)
Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answers!
The historiography that the Minister provides is entirely correct: It was largely the Armed Forces that had this responsibility, and in connection with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the climate changing, it was moved. It is perhaps also important to remember that it was moved to a private company, and that private company went bankrupt. That is why it is now back with the state. It was the Reinfeldt government that made that decision, and it also shows how important it is that this type of activity is conducted under state management. We should not keep privatizing the rescue services, icebreaking, and so on. Now, the icebreakers have perhaps never been privatized, but rather the personnel.
I think it is extremely important that we keep in mind that the market can solve certain things, but it cannot solve everything and it cannot solve rescue operations. I think it is idiotic, if I may express myself that way, that we have devoted ourselves to such things.
What is important is what the Minister says last: that society-critical activities within the agency can be maintained. Should we end up in a situation where we go from five to three helicopters, I am of the clear opinion that safety cannot be maintained, and it will be a threat to both seafarers, pilots, recreational boat owners, and ice skaters.
I therefore assume, hope and really wish that the government handles this and allocates the economic resources needed, because Sjöfartsverket is very clear: If we do not receive economic resources, we will not be able to maintain this.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Mr. Speaker! I look forward to returning to the question. I share Mattias Ottosson's assessment that it is a very clear basis from the Swedish Maritime Administration. I also want to thank Mattias Ottosson for the commitment. I think it contributes to shedding light on the issues. I appreciate our cooperation. We have a consensus on how important this function is.
It is exactly as Mattias Ottosson and also I myself have pointed out, that the long-term financing of Sjöfartsverket contains remnants from the 90s with appropriations that have not been adjusted since then. That the private company that took over the operations that Sjöfartsverket is responsible for today went bankrupt is also an indication that a larger grip needs to be taken on the long-term financing issues.
Regarding the situation for trade here and now, I, as I have said, look forward to returning so that the decisions that risk being made do not have to be made. We have been very clear that the critical parts of the core of the Swedish Maritime Administration's activities must not be negatively affected in such a security-politically sensitive situation as we find ourselves in now. Thank you for the discussion today!
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.