Two Beechcraft King Air 350 aircraft landed in Greece on Wednesday, as a result of a $18 Million Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) grant to strengthen the capabilities and efficiency of the National Center for Emergency Care’s (EKAV) air ambulance services.
“Our goal in making a grant to strengthen EKAV’s air ambulance services as part of the SNF Health Initiative is to help reach those who might otherwise be excluded from access to health care and give peace of mind to people in Greece who live in areas remote from critical health services," said SNF Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos.
"The new aircraft allow for the swift transport of anyone in need to central healthcare locations and offer EKAV’s staff the infrastructure necessary to perform their work safely and effectively," he added.
The Beechcraft King Air 350 airplanes are equipped with state-of-the-art air navigation instruments, and their cabins were adapted for health care use by specialists at a world-leading company in the field.
The aircraft provide capacity to transport two patients at the same time and feature a specialised mechanism for lifting stretchers to ensure safe entry and exit for ill and injured patients.
Furthermore, the aircraft include incubator transport infrastructure to carry newborns, as well as a negative pressure capsule to transport people with infectious diseases.
The new aircraft will be used exclusively by EKAV, helping it better fulfil its mission and provide its specialist air ambulance staff—including flying doctors, rescuers and nurses—with the most up-to-date medical equipment.
"Two aircraft donated by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, enhance and upgrade the air transport capabilities of EKAV, for the safe and fast transport of patients from remote areas of Greece. We thank the SNF for this important initiative," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted.
*More on GCT: Greece to receive two King Air 350s
