A 70-year-old tourist suffered a severe leg fracture after a fall near the remote landmark of Tripiti on Gavdos Island.
Local emergency services mobilized immediately. Personnel from the Gavdos Firefighting Squad navigated the difficult landscape to reach the stranded man. Firefighters stabilized his injury and physically carried him across the rough terrain to the safety of the Korfos area. From Korfos, he was transferred to the Regional Medical Clinic in Gavdos for essential first aid.
The rescue hit a major roadblock due to Mediterranean weather. Strong winds triggered an official sailing ban, completely cutting off the small island from the mainland. Despite needing advanced orthopedic care, the injured tourist could not be evacuated to Crete and had to spend the night under the care of local clinic staff.
The situation changed when the winds subsided and weather conditions improved. Emergency teams transported the patient to Karave Port, where he boarded the scheduled ferry line. The vessel departed for Crete, where specialized medical staff wait to provide the necessary surgery and long-term care.