Svenskt Ambulansflyg completes first mission to Iceland

Svenskt Ambulansflyg completed its first international mission to the island nation on 31 March, conducting a flight from the service’s base at Arlanda Airport, north of Stockholm, to Reykjavik.

The organization stated that the ability to fly to Iceland was a ‘designated need’ that ‘formed the basis’ of how it procured its current fleet of aircraft, as well as ‘the construction of its current operational structure’.

Svenskt Ambulansflyg stated: “The need for flights to Iceland is based … on the Nordic convention, an agreement between Nordic countries to offer repatriation services in the event of illness.”

It follows an approval from the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) for the association to expand its operating area over the North Atlantic region – which includes Iceland and Svalbard. All pilots and flight coordinators with Svenskt Ambulansflyg have now been trained to operate under Icelandic flight regulations.

The organization also confirmed that it was looking to begin operations in Svalbard in the near future.

“We are very happy that we now have this piece of the puzzle in place and that we can offer something that is a clear need,” said Anna Alm Andersson, Federal Director of Swedish Air Ambulance.

The Arlanda base was opened in February 2022, giving Svenskt Ambulansflyg full coverage over the entirety of Sweden.