Summer holidays: high season for Rega jets
Rega repatriated around 280 patients from abroad during the summer holidays
Rega repatriated around 280 patients from abroad during the summer holidays. Of these, 210 people were flown home using Rega's three ambulance jets.
From the beginning of July to 24 August 2018, the Rega operations centre organized the repatriation of around 280 people who had to be taken to Switzerland for further treatment due to a medical problem abroad. While a quarter of them were able to travel to Switzerland by commercial airline, some under the medical supervision of Rega aircraft doctors and nurses, around 210 people needed transport in one of Rega's three ambulance jets. In the summer of 2017, Rega repatriated approximately the same number of patients in the same period.
The three Rega jets were especially active in Europe. Most of the patients were repatriated from Italy, followed by Spain, Germany and France. But Rega also brought patients back to Switzerland from countries far away such as Australia, Thailand and Mauritius.
The company commented: “The operations of Rega are subject to seasonal fluctuations. For Rega, this means the time during the summer holidays, according to experience, more jet missions. The causes of the medical problems of patients abroad are as diverse as the travel activity of the Swiss population. The most common reasons for repatriation are diseases, followed by traffic and sports accidents.