Complex Medical Evacuation from Hurghada: Air Ambulance for Father and Son
On 21 November 2025, a serious incident occurred in Hurghada involving a 53-year-old man and his 9-year-old son. While riding a towed inflatable water attraction, they collided at high speed with a nearby boat. Both sustained severe traumatic brain injuries, multiple fractures, and extensive contusions.
Emergency Response and Patient Condition
Rescue services and paramedics swiftly evacuated the injured from the accident site. Both were transported to the hospital unconscious and placed to the intensive care unit. Their condition was assessed as critical.
The child was in a deep coma (3 points on the Glasgow Coma Scale), intubated, connected to a ventilator, and equipped with a nasogastric tube, central venous line, and urinary catheter; blood and plasma transfusions were administered. The adult patient had similarly severe injuries. Despite intensive treatment and comprehensive diagnostics, no improvements were observed throughout the week.
Family Support and International Coordination
Understanding the urgency of the situation and carefully evaluating all risks, the family began considering the possibility of transporting the patients back home.
Supporting the insured in their most critical moments is a core priority for our team. In such cases, we strengthen our capabilities by involving additional expertise. Due to the critical status of the case, we organized a joint consultation between our colleagues from Egypt Assistance (Egypt) and Remed Assistance (Türkiye), providing the family with alternative expert opinions from different countries to help them make the most informed decision.
Multidisciplinary Medical Board
The case was exceptionally complex: simultaneous air medical repatriation of two critical patients was required.
A multidisciplinary medical board was organized with the participation of:
• a neurosurgery professor from Hurghada,
• a neurosurgery professor from Cairo,
• a neuro-intensive care specialist from Russia, who travelled to Hurghada to conduct an on-site assessment and evaluate the patients’ readiness for transport.
On 28 November 2025, after receiving all expert reports, a teleconference was held with the participation of Egypt Assistance and Remed Assistance offices, the insurance company’s medical experts, and the tour operator’s legal representatives. A joint decision was made to repatriate both patients on a single air ambulance equipped with two stretcher modules.
Air Ambulance Arrangement
In accordance with legal requirements and protocols for transporting critical patients, the family signed all necessary documents and informed consents. All legal matters were overseen by the tour operator’s legal team.
On the same day, 28 November, Egypt Assistance and Remed Assistance jointly arranged a specialized air ambulance on the route Moscow — Hurghada, with a operational stop in Ankara. The aircraft, fully equipped for transporting two critical patients, arrived in Hurghada around 4:00 AM the following day.
Evacuation Home
Ten hours later, on 29 November 2025, after final preparations and swift hospital-to-airport transfer, both patients were loaded onto the aircraft. Accompanied by an intensive care medical team, they departed for home.
Managing such a complex case showed how important the coordinated work of the insurance company, the tour operator, and the assistance team is, as well as timely coordination and professional communication between all parties. While providing continuous support to the family, the teams held joint consultations, coordinated every stage of the medical evacuation, and ensured the best possible protection of the patients’ and partners’ interests in full compliance with international protocols.