Christoph 19

Christoph 19 is a Eurocopter EC 135 rescue helicopter based at HELIOS Klinikum Uelzen in Lower Saxony, equipped with modern medical equipment for emergency response missions. The aircraft operates as part of a coordinated medical service network, flown and staffed by professionals trained in helicopter emergency medicine.

The helicopter entered service in 1981 as Phoenix 14, originally operated as part of Lower Saxony's police helicopter fleet. It was later transferred to civilian emergency medical services and renamed Christoph 19.

A team of three professionals, including a pilot from ADAC Luftrettung, a physician from HELIOS Klinikum, and a technician from DRK-Kreisverband, staff the helicopter.

The helicopter operates during daylight hours and can launch within minutes of an emergency call. The facility can be viewed from outside the perimeter, but the operational area is restricted for safety reasons.

In January 2003, the helicopter was involved in an accident while flying under a bridge and crashed into water. This incident is remembered in air rescue history as a cautionary reminder of the hazards involved in low-level flying.