Thisted had the most air ambulance flights in 2023. Thisted municipality topped the list with 213 air ambulance flights in 2023, making it the municipality with the most flights in the year. A report from the Danish Regions on the acute air ambulance scheme shows that the number of flights for the Danish acute air ambulances slightly decreased compared to the previous year. The four helicopters were in the air 4,167 times, which is 344 times fewer than in 2022. The need for rapid assistance from air ambulances is particularly high in Denmark’s rural areas. Following Thisted, which had 213 flights, Bornholm had the second-highest with 188 flights. Other municipalities with many visits from air ambulances were Samsø (178), Esbjerg (155), Herning (154), Guldborgsund (146), and Lolland (143). The high number of visits in rural areas reflects the crucial role of air ambulances. As the Vice Chairman of the Danish Regions, Mads Duedahl, stated in a press release: “The helicopters play a crucial role in ensuring rapid and specialized medical assistance across the country. They make a big difference for citizens, especially in areas far from university hospitals.” The report also shows that 42% of patients flown with air ambulances in 2023 had heart and vascular diseases. This group typically included individuals who had suffered a cardiac arrest or a heart attack. Another significant group of patients were trauma patients, often as a result of traffic accidents. Denmark has four air ambulances based in Ringsted, Billund, Skive, and Saltum. The helicopters are staffed around the clock every day of the year with a pilot, a specialized emergency doctor, and a helicopter rescuer. The nationwide acute air ambulance scheme is a collaboration between the five Danish regions. From the summer of 2025, four new air ambulances will be deployed, and as today, the Norwegian Air Ambulance will be responsible for the operation.

Read the danish version here