PURPOSE: To accommodate rescued people safely without leaving them in a severe environment by providing a hoist by which a rope can be wound up and down from a rescue helicopter and a compartment which is hooked to the rope and freely raised and lowered, and enabling the inside of the compart ment to be communicated with the helicopter fuselage.

CONSTITUTION: A clue 22 in the fuselage 5 of a helicopter 15 hovering over a rescued person 17 on the ground or on the surface 27 of the water opens a sliding door 25 provided at the bottom of the fuselage 5 and lowers the compartment 16 of the hoist 20 past an opening to the position of the rescued person 17. After the rescued person 17 has entered the compartment 16, the compartment is raised to a storage device 23 in the fuselage 5 so that the rescued person 17 enters the fuselage 5. The compartment 16 is roofed and provided with side walls around its perimeter to serve as wind shields that protect the rescued person 17 from a rotor downwash 14 and from atmospheric winds so that the person is rescued safely and comfortably.