Transplant organ transported by Black Hawk helicopter for the first time

The UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter of the 194th multipurpose helicopter squadron of the 91st wing of the Croatian Air Force carried out an emergency air medical transport of a four-member transplant team and a transplant organ (heart) on the route Zagreb - Split - Zagreb.

“This noble and great task is a confirmation of the excellent cooperation of the medical teams and members of the Croatian Military,” said Minister of Defense Mario Banožić, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense.

At the invitation of the transplant coordinator of the Ministry of Health, the three-member crew of the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter carried out the transport of the transplant team, taking off in the morning hours from the "Colonel Marko Živković" barracks in Velika Gorica with surgical equipment to the Clinical Hospital Center “Firule” in Split.

After a successful medical operation, i.e. extraction of the transplant organ, the transplant team, together with the heart for transplant, took off from the "Firule" heliport and successfully landed at the "Colonel Marko Živković" barracks in Velika Gorica.

The organ was transferred to Rebro Clinical Hospital Center in Zagreb by a vehicle for the transport of transplant organs.

Minister of Defense Mario Banožić said that the transport of organs for transplantation is one of the extremely important forms of assistance of the Croatian Military to the civilian population and support to the health system.

“I am extremely glad that the Black Hawk helicopters, which represent a significant step forward in the modernization of the capabilities of the Croatian Military, performed such a noble and great task. I thank the pilots and technicians of the Croatian Air Force who were responsible for the successful transport of the transplant organ from Split to Zagreb,” said Minister Banožić.

In the end, the Minister of Defense said that this is another confirmation of the excellent cooperation between the medical teams and the Croatian Military, according to the statement from the Ministry of Defense.

Source: HRT