Abstract

A helicopter-carried rescue apparatus including a collapsible net assembly which is adapted to be carried in a fully collapsed condition when the helicopter equipped with the rescue apparatus is in cruise toward the scene of a disaster and which is fully expanded at the scene for being capable of picking up a number of endangered lives such as occupants of a building on fire, shipwreck survivors, survivors from ditched aircraft, flood victims, injured mountain climbers, lives in snow storms, etc. The net assembly can be automatically expanded and collapsed by remote control from the helicopter in flight or from any spot outside the helicopter and the net assembly and can further be moved between an upright position suitable for accommodating releaved survivors and a lying position suitable for being carried by the helicopter when the helicopter is rushing to a scene. The net assembly may be provided with floats if the rescue apparatus is utilized for the rescue works at sea.