Military Pilots Transport Critically Ill Patient Overnight

Military pilots of the Croatian Air Force carried out a dramatic emergency medical transport operation during the night of August 3-4, 2026. Using a Mi-171Sh helicopter, they transported a critically ill foreign national and a medical team between three Croatian hospitals, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia (MORH) confirmed.

Route from Dubrovnik to Zagreb

The operation began at the request of the healthcare system, with the first stop at Dubrovnik General Hospital. From there, the patient was transferred to the Split University Hospital Center. After a brief stop, the transport continued to its final destination - Dubrava University Hospital in Zagreb, where urgent hospital treatment was continued.

Responsibility That Cannot Wait

The helicopter crew emphasized the gravity of such tasks. "Every emergency medical flight carries great responsibility because every minute counts," the crew said via MORH, adding that members of the Croatian Air Force are ready at all times to provide support to citizens when it is most needed.

MORH stressed that this nighttime operation, in which the patient was transported between three hospitals, demonstrated the high level of readiness, expertise, and training of military crews for conducting emergency medical flights.