A tourist died at a beach of the island of Thassos on Tuesday, while the only ambulance needed almost an hour to reach there. By the time it arrived, it was too late.
The woman about 45-50 years old from the Czech Republic, was on vacation in the northwestern Aegean island.
According to eyewitnesses, the woman collapsed at the beach of Astridas a few seconds after she came out of the sea.
Eyewitnesses emphasize that for 30 to 40 minutes, four Romanian tourists at the beach performed CPR and tried to resuscitate her and that the ambulance arrived after 51 minutes.
A private doctor was called to the scene and pronounced the woman dead. The body of the woman was taken by the ambulance, an autopsy has been ordered, local media reported.
Many foreign tourists have already reacted on social media and report that they have private insurance but it is useless as there is only one ambulance on the island.
A Greek woman posted characteristically: “I am very sorry for our mess. We want tourism at Dubai-level prices and we have third world facilities. I am sorry! I hope for a better treatment.”
Another user posted that the woman had pulse for 40 minutes and that when the ambulance arrived it was too late.
Romanian tourists are appealing On Facebook group Forum Thassos, Romanian tourists appeal to local and national authorities for decent medical conditions for tourist destinations that are full of tourists.
They stated the following:
“I was just informed via private message that a person from the Czech Republic died on the beach in the Astris area.
I again call on the local and national authorities in Greece, as they will do in 2021, to ensure decent medical services on the islands full of tourists. It is unreal how the only ambulance on the island comes after 30 km and 51 minutes only to find death.
If my repeated requests so far have not yet received an official response, perhaps now that it is late, something is done and we can avoid such tragedies between locals and tourists.
I don’t know the exact cause of death, but probably if there was another ambulance in Potos or Kinyra, the woman would be alive now.
I ask you all:
– take care of yourself and those around you.
– get health insurance.”
It is the second death of a tourist and the fourth death in Greece since the beginning of June due to belayed arrival of an ambulance.
