Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
The government Learjet was used to fly a two-year old child to London for an organ transplant today. Irish Air Corps via Facebook
Air Ambulance
Air Corps flies sick child to London on government jet
At least those who need it most are getting off the ground – the Air Corps runs two air ambulances within an hour.
WITH DUBLIN AIRPORT closed for the morning and struggling to clear the passenger backlog for the afternoon, it was left to the Irish Air Corps to fly two urgently sick children to London today – with one flight the government jet.
IAC Learjet 45, flying under the callsign ‘Irish 258′, was given priority departure clearance from Dublin Airport shortly after noon and flew to Heathrow Airport carrying a two-year-old child requiring a transplant.
The child was brought from Heathrow to Kings College Hospital in London upon its arrival.
The Learjet is one of the government’s two jets; the larger Gulfstream jet is to be taken out of commission in the near future under the terms of the Budget.
Less than half an hour earlier, a Defence Forces AW139 helicopter (below), with the callsign ‘Irish 274′, flew from Baldonnell Airport to Crumlin Children’s Hospital, and from there onto the RAF base at Northolt in west London.
It was carrying a one-month-old child as well as a team of medical staff from the HSE.
The two air ambulance flights brought the number of air ambulance flights run by the Air Corps in this year to 65.
have your say