22.11.2021


A Chinese seafarer spent several months fighting for his life while in a coma. The medical team of the Odessa hospital did it’s best to support the seafarer’s life, whose condition with the diagnosis of "Ischemic stroke" and multiple complications such as foci of cerebral ischemia, tetraparesis and bulbar syndrome – was severe.

His relatives in China were eager to bring the sailor home. However, China has been one of the toughest destination during the Covid19 pandemic regarding travel restrictions. The country could not even accept Chinese citizens flying home due to the high epidemic situation.

To transport the seafarer to China it was necessary to obtain numerous permits from local departments in accordance with the protocol, gradually from the seafarer’s place of residence to governmental and national-level organizations.

Further complicating the mission was the situation with Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG), which operated in a closed and reopened mode. GVA’s local handling agents were on standby all the times to activate the process as soon as the airport became available.

To simplify visa issues and taking into account maximum pilot flight time regulations, GVA arranged an Air ambulance crew change in Irkutsk (Russia), close to the border with China.

During the pandemic, GVA has transported over 200 seafarers to various destinations around the world gaining experience with the requirements & regulations of a new world changed by Covid19.

Earlier GVA team organized the medical evacuation of Sri Lanka Seafarer from Dammam to Colombo.