The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Air ambulance rescues Japanese tourist

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 08, 2006
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Air ambulance rescues Japanese tourist

Staff Reporter

The 82-year-old tourist was airlifted from Badami to Bangalore

BANGALORE: In the first major evacuation exercise after its inception, Vayu Vahan, the air ambulance service launched recently by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) evacuated a 82-year-old Japanese national who had sustained spinal injuries while travelling in a bus, on Wednesday.

In the operation that took around 10 hours, the Chetak helicopter, fitted with state-of-the-art medical equipment, evacuated the Japanese tourist Sumiko Ikeda from the tourist town of Badami to a private hospital in Bangalore. Ms. Ikeda had sustained spinal injuries while travelling in a bus from Goa to Hubli, and was totally immobilised. Before being airlifted, she was being treated at a primary health care centre at Badami.

The evacuation operation commenced after the services of HAL was sought by the Delhi-based Air Charter Service, and the Vayu Vahan took to skies at 9.15 a.m. on Wednesday. It is learnt that Ms. Sumiko Ikeda, who has been admitted to Wockhardt Hospital here is recovering. Hospital's chief executive officer Vishal Bali told The Hindu Ms. Ikeda had to be in the hospital for at least a week.

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