HH
I am sure someone has access to the figures but over the life of the Nimrod the requests for assistance have been in the hundreds rather than tens.
Even when the accident is within range of a helicopter there is great benefit when an aircraft of long endurance can act as co-ordinator.
I was at Kinloss in 1979 when the Fasnet disaster struck. Ther were twenty or more yachts all in danger of sinking. They were within range of the SAR choppers, but covering a large area of ocean. It was the Nimrods co-ordinating Heli, Naval and Merchant efforts that saved many lives.