The Spartan plane of MApN left for Switzerland to transport six patients with burns to a hospital in France

A C-27J Spartan plane of the Romanian Air Force left for Switzerland on Friday evening to transport six patients with burns suffered as a result of the fire in Crans-Montana to a hospital in France, announced the Ministry of National Defense (MApN). The humanitarian mission takes place based on the request for international assistance formulated by the Swiss authorities, through the European Civil Protection Mechanism.

“A C-27J Spartan aircraft of the Romanian Air Force, configured for medical missions, departed on Friday, January 2, at around 19.00, from the 90 Air Transport Base, from Otopeni, bound for Switzerland, to transport six burn patients to a hospital in Paris, France. During the flight, the patients will be monitored by a mixed medical team provided by the Romanian Air Force and the UPU SMURD of SCUB Floreasca”, announced MApN.

The mission of the aircraft was approved at the request of the Department for Emergency Situations, based on the request for international assistance formulated by the Swiss authorities, through the European Civil Protection Mechanism.

The mechanism was established in 2001 by the European Union to allow participating countries (EU and non-EU) to coordinate their assistance in the event of a large-scale emergency that cannot be resolved by a country's civil protection system alone.

“Thus, Romania reaffirms its solidarity with the Swiss Confederation and its commitment to actively contribute to the management of major emergency situations, when international support is requested, with priority given to saving the lives and protecting the health of the affected persons”, MApN reports.

MApN reminds that it also acted in 2025 based on this mechanism. “Thus, in March, a C-27J Spartan aircraft of the Romanian Air Force, configured for medical missions, transported patients diagnosed with burns from Skopje, North Macedonia, to a hospital in Vilnius/Lithuania.”

The Minister of Defense, Radu Miruţă, announced on Friday that, following the decision of the National Committee for Emergency Situations, a military aircraft is ready to take off to transport, from Lausanne to Paris, six young people with serious burns following the Crans-Montana fire. The minister explained that the Army offers the support, “without asking who pays the expenses, or whether or not money was provided in the budget”.

Valais prosecutor general Beatrice Pilloud said on Friday that the Crans-Montana bar fire that left at least 40 dead and 119 injured appears to have been caused by “fireworks placed on champagne bottles that were held too close to the ceiling”.