An air ambulance service based in Malta has been launched by Medilink, a Maltese company with Tunisian partners.

The service will offer high quality medical emergency services to clients from north Africa to southern Europe, CEO Simon Camilleri said.

It will provide an air link with the medical facilities found in an ambulance, intensive care and an accident and emergency department.

Mr Camilleri said the plane, which has already airlifted a patient from north Africa in the past days, is a Beech 2000 Super King Air. It is ideal for medium to short distance flights, and has access to most of Europe.

A group of 24 Maltese doctors and nurses were rigorously trained on how to operate and provide medical services on board the plane.

Launching the service, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said it was of enormous satisfaction to see Medilink’s investments. This, he said, was one of a series of recent initiatives that reflected the country’s positive performance in recent months.

An air ambulance, he said, perfectly targeted a niche area that could be tapped into.

Tapping into these and similar niche areas was the secret to the country’s success.

Malta’s strategic location was an asset and the air ambulance linked very closely to Malta’s long history of care and excellent health services offered.

The ambulance, the Prime Minister said, offered a quick efficient service that would save peoples’ lives.