Croatia’s helicopter and sea rescue services log thousands of interventions

The Croatian emergency medical system operates both a helicopter (HHMS) and maritime rapid‑response (PHMS) service. Since the start of operations the helicopter service has completed 4,368 missions, while the sea‑boat service has carried out 1,282 missions.

Mission breakdown shows 1,817 helicopter interventions from the Split base, 1,490 from Rijeka, 712 from Zagreb and 349 from Osijek. The maritime service conducted 575 interventions on Brač, 255 in Šibenik, 190 in Zadar, 116 on Mali Lošinj, 97 on Rab and 49 in Dubrovnik.

Recent demanding cases illustrate the coordination of the system: on Brač a PHMS boat rescued an unconscious patient with convulsions and delivered the patient to the Clinical Hospital Center Split in 69 minutes; in Poreč a HHMS helicopter from Rijeka air‑lifted a 13‑year‑old cyclist to the Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka in 63 minutes; in Soljani a HHMS helicopter from Osijek attended a patient with altered consciousness and transferred her to the Clinical Hospital Center Osijek in 56 minutes.

Health Minister Irena Hrstić praised the personnel for their expertise and dedication, noting that investment in modern emergency care strengthens the resilience and safety of Croatia’s health system for citizens and tourists alike.