Medical diversion options in remote area's

cocoshovel

I have recently been thinking about some flight paths that take them over remote or strange places such as the very northern reaches of Russia/Siberia etc and its got me wondering, what would be the course of action if an aircraft had to divert due to medical emergency or such when over these area.
There are some remote cities and places in the middle of russia with very little connections back and with a poorer standard of healthcare. Would a captain make the decision to divert to one of these cities, or continue on to somewhere more hospitable?

Silly question I know but the thought of being dumped in a Siberian city that nobody has heard is a bit scarey to think about. Same could be said for flying over places like Afghanistan or routes from USA to Asia that fly over remote Canada or Greenland.

highlydebased

Many airlines have a policy on preferred diversion fields for whatever type of situation.

Pilots in residence here will know the details

Del2005

cocoshovel wrote: »

I have recently been thinking about some flight paths that take them over remote or strange places such as the very northern reaches of Russia/Siberia etc and its got me wondering, what would be the course of action if an aircraft had to divert due to medical emergency or such when over these area.
There are some remote cities and places in the middle of russia with very little connections back and with a poorer standard of healthcare. Would a captain make the decision to divert to one of these cities, or continue on to somewhere more hospitable?

Silly question I know but the thought of being dumped in a Siberian city that nobody has heard is a bit scarey to think about. Same could be said for flying over places like Afghanistan or routes from USA to Asia that fly over remote Canada or Greenland.

My uncle was diverted for a medical emergency in Russia. AFAIK they landed somewhere fairly decent, Siberian towns are bigger than most of our cities, but the standard of care wasn't the best and the language barrier didn't help. My Aunt was in bits from both my Uncle's emergency and the fact that she couldn't find out what was wrong with him.

Would the diversion be covered under ETOPS?

mayotom

Most likely covered under Etops, also as pointed out there are several very populous cities throughout most of the regions mentioned, there are a few cities in Siberia with populations much bigger than Dublin, with top quality medical care

Su Campu

Yes, I think the term "unheard of" city is a little ott!

Of more concern would be a flight over the Pacific.

cocoshovel

Im well aware of the large citites through out central and northern Russia, but to the common joe soap he wouldnt have a clue of them and would be lost with the language barrier. I realize it does sound over the top and a bit mad, but I for one wouldnt like to end up alone in the City of Norilsk or city in Northern China/Kazakhstan.
Its not just Russia im interested in. Africa, the Pacific, Middle East etc.

kub

cocoshovel wrote: »

Im well aware of the large citites through out central and northern Russia, but to the common joe soap he wouldnt have a clue of them and would be lost with the language barrier. I realize it does sound over the top and a bit mad, but I for one wouldnt like to end up alone in the City of Norilsk or city in Northern China/Kazakhstan.
Its not just Russia im interested in. Africa, the Pacific, Middle East etc.

Don't mind about Africa, The Pacific or Middle East........what about Ireland, with the state of our own health system.

APM

mayotom wrote: »

Most likely covered under Etops, also as pointed out there are several very populous cities throughout most of the regions mentioned, there are a few cities in Siberia with populations much bigger than Dublin, with top quality medical care

Diversion isn't covered under ETOPS. Anyway, the longest ETOPS certification these days is 330mins, somebody with a major condition would be long dead assuming the condition happened at the exact equi-time point + after landing taxi + getting a steps up to the aircraft and emergency services on.

ETOPS is purely to get the aircraft, safely onto a suitable runway. Doesn't matter if there isn't even a hotel for the passengers after

Del2005

APM wrote: »

Diversion isn't covered under ETOPS. Anyway, the longest ETOPS certification these days is 330mins, somebody with a major condition would be long dead assuming the condition happened at the exact equi-time point + after landing taxi + getting a steps up to the aircraft and emergency services on.

ETOPS is purely to get the aircraft, safely onto a suitable runway. Doesn't matter if there isn't even a hotel for the passengers after

In reality is ETOPS not the default diversion airfield? As a plane flying over a remote area will have it's route calculated on suitable ETOPS airfields. If they could land at an alternative airfield for a diversion then their not utilising ETOPS efficiently and we know how much airlines need efficiencies to stay viable.

basill

If your flying on a proper longhaul airline over these remote areas which has a sat phone and therefore comms links to medlink or a similar service then your chances are greatly improved. Also by virtue of being on a larger aircraft the chances of having a medic onboard to assist are higher. They will more than likely have a well stocked medical kit onboard which can be used by medics.

Now if your on a loco then you take your chances. I stand to be corrected but I am 99.9% sure that a certain Irish registered loco doesn't carry portable O2 or even a basic medical kit.

You still need to bear in mind that it will take 30mins or so to get onto the ground even if we keep her lit from most cruising levels. That of course assumes there is somewhere hospitable for us to land on.

amen

Now if your on a loco then you take your chances. I stand to be corrected but I am 99.9% sure that a certain Irish registered loco doesn't carry portable O2 or even a basic medical kit.

You still need to bear in mind that it will take 30mins or so to get onto the ground even if we keep her lit from most cruising levels. That of course assumes there is somewhere hospitable for us to land on.

why would you even put that in a post about diversion options in remote areas?

If its the same loco then most flights are 2-3 hours duration over one of the most populated parts of the world with numerous airports that could be used in an emergency.

You do realise that there are large parts of Ireland in which if you had a medical emergency it can take an ambulance 1 hour to get to you ?

If you leave in the east coast of Ireland it can take you 2 hours to get to a maternity hospital depending on where you live.

I think I would take my chances with the loco.