CHENGDU, July 20 – The air force under the PLA Western Theatre Command dispatched a Y-9 ambulance aircraft for the air medical evacuation of a sick officer from the plateau area to a major city in northwest China on July 16. This is the first time for the Y-9ambulance aircraft to carry out such a mission since its commissioning.

The officer surnamed Zhang is assigned to a base of the air force under the PLA Western Theatre Command. He was injured in the training and got worsened during the treatment in local hospital. Thus, he was then evacuated by the Y-9 ambulance aircraft to a major hospital 5,200 kilometers away in Xi'an of Shaanxi Province for better treatment.

Fitted with advanced medical equipment, the Y-9 ambulance aircraft has the capabilities of air evacuation and in-flight ambulance service. And for this mission, the accompanying medical team members covered a variety of departments such as critical care medicine, anesthesia, orthopedics, and surgery, who could provide life-sustaining treatment for the injured during the evacuation process.

After arriving at the plateau airport, the medical team completed the transfer of the patient in just 10 minutes. And the onboard mobile rescue platform began to operate as soon as the Y-9 took off. Medical staff used on-board medical equipment including electrocardiogram monitor, infusion pump and sputum aspirator to carry out the in-flight emergency treatment for the patient who already went into a coma.

After a brief supply break in the midway, the Y-9 ambulance aircraft landed smoothly after a4.5-hourflightwhich covered more than 5,200 kilometers. As of press time, the patient's vital signs were stable and he was receiving further treatment.