Saudi Red Crescent Authority air-ambulance helicopters are providing around-the-clock services to Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the holy sites in Ramadan. The service will continue until Sept. 4, said Capt. Abdul Hakeem Sa'doun Al-Joufi, Director of Saudi Red Crescent Air Ambulance Operations. The regular service provided throughout the year covers all the Makkah region and provides swift responses to emergencies, he said. An air ambulance responded Thursday to a traffic accident on the coastal road near Al-Leeth and a seriously injured man was flown to the hospital, he said. Another helicopter stationed at the Saudi Red Crescent Aviation Base in Al-Shumaisi took off after receiving a report about a critically injured traffic accident victim on the Makkah-Jeddah Expressway. From the time the reports were received, it took an average of 23 minutes to transport the victims in both accidents to King Abdul Aziz Hospital in Jeddah, Captain Al-Joufi said. The Civil Defense increased the number of aircraft dealing with emergency cases this Ramadan. Two types of modern aircraft have been used, both of which could perform tasks with precision, maneuver easily and fly in severe weather conditions. __
