AM-CC Celebrates Meeting Historic Helicopter Demand, Calls for More Ambulances

The Majorera Assembly – Canary Coalition Fuerteventura praised the addition of the third medicalised helicopter in the Canary Islands, which will have a permanent base on the island. The party described the move as one of the most significant health‑care advances in recent years, answering a historic demand of the Majorera population.

Through an investment of €39 million, the Canary Islands Health Department has equipped the archipelago with a renewed fleet of three advanced‑life‑support medical helicopters belonging to the Canary Emergency Service (SUC). The aircraft are based in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, improving emergency coverage in the eastern islands.

Each helicopter is fitted with state‑of‑the‑art electromedical equipment, mechanical ventilators, neonatal incubators, high‑flow oxygen therapy and, when needed, cardiopulmonary resuscitation devices. The crew consists of a commander, a pilot, a physician and a specialised emergency nurse.

Institutional and Political Support

The aircraft’s arrival was attended by President of the Canary Islands Government Fernando Clavijo, President of the Fuerteventura Island Council Lola García, Health Minister Esther Monzón, Director of the Fuerteventura Health Area Tomás Pérez, and Mayor of Puerto del Rosario David de Vera. In a statement, the party highlighted the significance of the permanent base:

“The establishment of a fixed base in Fuerteventura answers the demands of the island’s residents, municipalities, the Island Council and our party’s deputies. This initiative could have been realised in the previous legislature, but the Pacto de las Flores government left it unattended, deeming the investment too high for Fuerteventura alone,” the executive noted.

The same reasoning, they argued, had delayed other projects such as the oncology bunker and the implementation of a Hemodynamic Unit at the island hospital—projects that have now been completed under a nationalist government.

“We are facing a Canary government that understands the islands’ reality, acts, and works to meet their needs, prioritising essential issues for development,” the statement added.

The party stressed that the achievement demonstrates the importance of coordination among Canary administrations. Collaboration between the Fuerteventura Island Council, the regional government and local municipalities, together with the push from AM‑CC deputies in the Canary Parliament, was decisive—especially after a previous term in which Fuerteventura’s needs were sidelined.

The funding for this resource was secured through an amendment presented by AM‑CC deputies to address an island‑specific need. Given Fuerteventura’s long distances and dispersed population centres, a rapid‑response asset is crucial for saving lives when every minute counts.

“The arrival of this aircraft will benefit the whole island and the entire archipelago, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round,” the party’s note continued.

More Resources Needed for Emergency Transport in Fuerteventura

AM‑CC reiterated that the emergency medical transport system must continue to be reinforced. Deputy Mario Cabrera and parliamentarians Natalia Évora and Jana González will keep demanding additional resources.

“The helicopter is a great achievement, but to meet the real needs of an island whose population has grown markedly, we must reinforce the service with at least two more medicalised ambulances,” they concluded.

A Qualitative Leap in Health Care

The Island Council also praised the diligence of the Canary Islands Health Department, especially the work of Health Area Director Tomás Pérez in making the helicopter a reality.

The party highlighted the overall improvement in service quality during the current legislature, citing:

• Completion of the Hemodynamic Unit at Hospital Virgen de la Peña.
• Progress on the CAE of La Lajita (future Hospital del Sur).
• Enhanced home care for palliative patients.
• Opening of a local health office in El Cotillo.

These initiatives, together with the newly deployed helicopter, represent a qualitative leap in the island’s health‑care provision.