The Great North Air Ambulance Service responded to 14 incidents on the Isle of Man in 2025, as part of more than 1,900 emergency call-outs across the regions it serves.

Figures released by the charity show its critical care teams attended a total of 1,938 incidents last year, providing life-saving treatment to patients in some of the most serious medical and trauma emergencies.

The service operates across the North of England and the Isle of Man, using helicopters mainly during daylight hours, with a night-time response provided by rapid response vehicles.

While the Island accounted for a small proportion of overall call-outs, the charity said demand for its services continues to grow across all areas, placing increasing pressure on its ageing aircraft fleet.

The most common incidents attended by crews included cardiac arrests, road traffic collisions, medical emergencies, serious falls and assaults.

GNAAS currently operates Dauphin N3 and N3+ helicopters, which have been used on thousands of missions. However, the charity says parts shortages, rising maintenance costs and aircraft downtime are making it harder to maintain a reliable service.

In response, GNAAS has launched an appeal to fund a new fleet of three Airbus H145 D2 helicopters, designed to provide greater reliability and long-term sustainability.

Chief executive Joe Garcia MBE said moving back to a three-helicopter fleet would mean fewer gaps in cover when aircraft are undergoing maintenance.

He said the charity needs to raise £2.5 million for the deposit on the third helicopter, with around 15 per cent of that total raised so far.

GNAAS is entirely funded through public donations and does not receive government funding. It must raise around £9.3 million each year to remain operational.

The charity said investment in new aircraft would help ensure it can continue responding to emergencies across its service area, including on the Isle of Man, for years to come.