Recently, the first Mi-171 high-power version emergency rescue helicopter in Shigatse City, Xizang, took off from Shigatse and flew via Gyangzê County to Kangmar County to conduct a natural disaster simulation rescue drill.
The helicopter was officially delivered to Shigatse City on February 17, 2026, marking a “zero breakthrough” in professional aviation emergency rescue capabilities in Shigatse and ushering in a new phase of “air-ground integrated” disaster relief on the plateau.
Shigatse is located in a high-altitude border region characterized by complex terrain and frequent natural disasters. Aviation emergency rescue has long been a prominent shortfall. The newly deployed Mi-171 helicopter is specifically optimized for plateau environments. As a mainstay rescue model for high-altitude operations, it has a maximum flight altitude of 6,000 meters and can operate stably at altitudes above 3,000 meters, even under extreme weather conditions.
It is understood that the helicopter has a cargo capacity of 4 tons externally slung and 3 tons internally in the rear cabin. The cabin can carry up to 24 personnel or 12 stretcher-bound wounded. Depending on rescue needs, it can carry rescue crews, stretchers, and medical equipment. Its core functions include bucket firefighting, winch rescue, material delivery, and aerial reconnaissance and command. The helicopter remains on 24-hour standby to meet the emergency response needs for all types of disasters. Its rescue coverage extends across the entire Shigatse region, radiating to neighboring Nagqu City, Ngari Prefecture, and other key areas. It can reach the core disaster zone within two hours of an incident, effectively addressing the previous challenges of “difficult ground access and low emergency response efficiency” in high-altitude and remote areas.
Based on this background, The 4th Aviation Emergency Rescue Annual Conference will be held on June 11th - June 12th in Nanjing, China. Amid opportunities from national emergency capacity building and the low-altitude economy strategy, the Annual Conference has become a core platform for understanding policy trends, connecting resources, and fostering technological and industrial collaboration, collectively advancing China's aviation rescue capabilities toward professionalism, systematization, and global.