TF-LÍF

Líf, also known as TF-LÍF, is an Aérospatiale AS-332L1 Super Puma helicopter used by the Icelandic Coast Guard. It is named after Líf, the only woman foretold to survive the events of Ragnarök from Norse mythology, and is the first Coast Guard aircraft to bear the name.[1] It is the longest serving helicopter in the history of the ICG and gained national fame when it rescued 39 sailors in three separate incidents during a six-day period in March 1997.[2]

Líf
Líf in August 2013.
Other name(s) TF-LÍF
Type Aérospatiale AS-332L1 Super Puma
Manufacturer Aérospatiale
Construction number 2210
Manufactured 1986
Registration TF-LIF
Owners and operators Icelandic Coast Guard
In service 1995-2020
Status In storage

History

Líf was ordered in June 1994[3] and delivered 23 June 1995. Its formal arrival at Reykjavík Airport was greeted by the president of Iceland, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir.[1][4]

During a six-day period in 1997, Líf rescued 39 sailors in three separate incidents.[2] On 5 March, 19 sailors from the cargo ship MV Vikartindur were rescued aboard Líf after it suffered engine failure and ran aground on the south coast of Iceland, east of Þjórsá.[5] One crewmember from ICGV Ægir washed overboard during the rescue operations and drowned.[6] On 9 March, the crew of Líf rescued 10 out of 12 crewmembers from the cargo ship Dísarfell after in sank 100 nautical miles (190 km; 120 mi) south east of Hornafjörður.[7] The day after, 10 seamen from the fishing vessel Þorsteinn GK were saved aboard Líf after the ship lost engine power and drifted towards the rocky cliffs of Krísuvíkurberg.[8]

On 9 March 2004, Líf rescued all 16 crewmembers of the trawler Baldvin Þorsteinsson EA-10 after it ran aground in Skarðsfjara on the south coast of Iceland.[9]

On 19 December 2006, Líf rescued seven sailors from HDMS Triton after their rigid inflatable boat overturned in rough seas during the rescue operations of the stranding of the cargo ship Wilson Muuga. Its sister helicopter, Sif, meanwhile saved 12 crewmembers of the cargo ship.[10][11]

On 20 January 2017, Líf transported members of the Special Unit of the National Police Commissioner to the Greenlandic trawler Polar Nanoq, 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) south west of Iceland, to arrest the suspect in the murder of Birna Brjánsdóttir.[12][13]

In 2020, it was decided that Líf would be put up for sale.[14] In May 2022, it was in storage at the Coast Guard hangar at Reykjavík Airport, having not been used since 2020.[15]

Notable appearances in media

Líf was featured in the 2010 drama film Undercurrent along with the ICGV Týr.[16]

Notable captains

Further reading
  • Útkall TF-Líf - Sextíu menn í lífshættu, 1997. (in Icelandic): Book by Óttar Sveinsson about Líf.[17][18]
  • Þrautgóðir á raunastund, 2017. (in Icelandic): Book by Steinar J. Lúðvíksson featuring the story of Líf's rescue of 39 sailors in March 1997.[19]

References
  1. "Fjölmenni fagnaði LÍF". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 24 June 1995. p. 4. Retrieved 22 March 2021 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  2. "Frækileg björgun á reginhafi". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 29 September 2016. p. 34. Retrieved 22 March 2021 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  3. "Getur borið skipshöfn í einni ferð". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 24 June 1995. p. 52. Retrieved 22 March 2021 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  4. "Stór tímamót í björgunarmálum". Tíminn (in Icelandic). 24 June 1995. p. 1. Retrieved 22 March 2021 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  5. "19 bjargað en varðskipsmanns saknað". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 6 March 1997. pp. 1, 4, 6, 60. Retrieved 22 March 2021 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  6. "Hrikalegar aðstæður". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 6 March 1997. pp. 1, 2, 40. Retrieved 22 March 2021 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  7. Lára Ómarsdóttir (9 March 2017). "Börðust í sjónum í tvær klukkustundir". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  8. "Nokkrar bátslengdir í fyrsta björgunarskip". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 11 March 1997. p. 6. Retrieved 22 March 2021 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  9. "Reynt að ná Baldvini út á flóðinu í kvöld". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 10 March 2004. pp. 1, 4, 26, 27, 52. Retrieved 22 March 2021 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  10. Hjálmar Jónsson (20 December 2006). "Mjög erfiðar aðstæður voru á strandstað". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). pp. 6, 30–32. Retrieved 21 March 2021 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  11. "Áratugur frá strandi Wilson Muuga". Víkurfréttir (in Icelandic). 19 December 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  12. Freyr Gígja Gunnarsson (20 January 2017). "Sérsveitin fer um borð í Polar Nanoq—myndskeið". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  13. "Tveir menn handteknir". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 18 January 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  14. Elín Margrét Böðvarsdóttir (5 May 2020). "Þyrlukaupum frestað og TF-LÍF verður seld". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  15. "TF-LIF verður brátt sett á sölu". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  16. "Landhelgisgæslan í stóru hlutverki í Brim". Fréttablaðið (in Icelandic). 2 April 2008. p. 30. Retrieved 9 May 2021 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  17. "Sagan bak við fréttina". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 20 November 1997. p. 11. Retrieved 25 June 2022 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  18. "Að upplifa atburðina". Dagur (in Icelandic). 16 December 1997. p. 21. Retrieved 25 June 2022 – via Tímarit.is. open access
  19. "Átakanleg samtíðaraga". Bændablaðið (in Icelandic). 11 January 2018. p. 40. Retrieved 25 June 2022 – via Tímarit.is. open access
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