Helipad on Zlarin Buried in Waste
Emergency Medical Institute confirms helipad is out of service; City of Šibenik distances itself from responsibility. Mother of the injured woman warns: 'Lucky no one has paid with their life yet.'
Emergency Medical Institute confirms helipad is out of service; City of Šibenik distances itself from responsibility. Mother of the injured woman warns: 'Lucky no one has paid with their life yet.'
On Monday, August 3, 2026, the emergency medical helicopter was unable to land on the helipad on the island of Zlarin because it was buried in waste, forcing it to land on the pier. The intervention followed after a woman, who had arrived with her family for vacation that day, suddenly fainted in a holiday home.
According to data from the Institute of Emergency Medicine of Šibenik-Knin County, the call was received at 4:03 PM. The helicopter team was activated ten minutes later, at 4:13 PM, and the aircraft took off at 4:21 PM. It arrived at Zlarin at 4:49 PM, 46 minutes after the call was received. The family and friends of the injured woman estimated they waited about 45 minutes for the helicopter.
The Institute confirmed that the medical helicopter had intervened on Zlarin three times during 2026. "The helicopter could not land on the helipad on Zlarin because it is not operational," the Institute stated, adding that the decision on the landing site is made by the pilot of the helicopter emergency medical service.
The mother of the woman who fell ill, Zrinka Petrić, told Index.hr that swimmers, children, and equipment had to be cleared from the beach to allow the helicopter to land safely. She described the helipad as being covered with construction and bulky waste, garbage, and glass, and that this condition has persisted for years.
"So, it's been like this for years. Lucky no one has paid with their life yet," Petrić said. She added that her daughter had no prior health issues and that test results showed she was healthy. "This collapse happened, although the diagnosis is syncope, I think it was due to the heat, due to dehydration," she stated. The woman was transported by helicopter to KBC Split and was released from the hospital the same evening.
The City of Šibenik responded that it has no ownership or management authority over the helipad location. "The City of Šibenik has no ownership or management authority over the said location and therefore has no jurisdiction to undertake activities related to its maintenance or arrangement," the City stated for Index.hr.
The city administration stated that the organization of emergency medicine and the use of space for medical helicopter landings fall under the jurisdiction of the Institute of Emergency Medicine and other relevant institutions. However, the Institute reported that the City of Šibenik and other organizations have been informed of the issues with the non-functional helipad, that the current position is disputed due to unresolved ownership issues, and that a meeting on the topic has already been held. The tourism website Visit Zlarin previously reported that the helipad, built with the clear purpose of rapid landing in emergencies, is buried under piles of waste.
