A woman in a serious condition was transported by helicopter from Blagoevgrad to Sofia, a distance of 100km, the Health Ministry said. The patient fell into a coma after suffering a stroke and was admitted to St. Anna University Hospital for Active Treatment in the capital.

The air ambulance system has been operational since June this year. To date, 43 rescues have been carried out. In most cases, patients requiring urgent medical attention are transferred from one hospital to another based on the assessment of medical specialists. The youngest patient is four years old and the oldest is 92.

A second helicopter is expected to arrive by the end of February next year and a third by the end of March.