Mountain rescue vehicle which responded to Lockerbie bombing retires from service after four decades

A mountain rescue vehicle which responded to the Lockerbie bombing has been withdrawn from service after nearly four decades.

‘The Old Flex’ car has been in service with mountain rescue teams since 1985 and was called to the aftermath of the wreckage of Pan Am 103 flight in December 1988.

The flight was en route from Heathrow to JFK when a bomb exploded in its hold over the small Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people, including 43 British citizens and 190 Americans.

Eleven people died when wreckage hit their homes.

The rescue vehicle was also deployed following the F15’s fighter jet crash on Ben Mcdhui in March 2001. Braemar Mountain Rescue

The rescue vehicle was also deployed following F15 fighter jet crash on Ben Mcdhui in March 2001.

Braemar Mountain Rescue said the car will be retired to the Glenshee ski centre.

A statement from Braemar MRT read: “A sad wee day for the team yesterday as we withdrew the grand old lady of the team from service, ‘the old flex’.

“She has been in service in Mountain Rescue since 1985 and has been a welcome sight for many of the Braemar team on callouts, as well as neighbouring teams and casualties as she appeared out of blizzards on wild winter nights to pick up troops.

“She was involved in the Lockerbie PanAm crash aftermath and also the F15’s crash on Ben Mcdhui, as well a countless other rescues and sorties.

“She has gone into retirement at Glenshee ski centre. If you see her up there, throw up a wee salute and thank her for her service.

“Her ‘wee sister’ the ‘new flex’ is still in service with us (she is only 21 years old).”