Newborn’s Life Risked Due to Ambulance Fuel Shortage in Chania

A newborn’s life was put at risk when an ambulance from the hospital in Chania lacked fuel for transportation to Heraklion. The serious incident occurred on Tuesday evening (May 27, 2025), when a one-day-old infant required urgent transfer from Chania to Heraklion for intensive care due to complications arising from birth. Although the Heraklion hospital was ready to receive the newborn, the sole ambulance in Chania equipped with the necessary neonatal equipment had no fuel for the journey. After significant delays, including waiting for a gas station to open and refuel the ambulance, the baby was eventually transported to Heraklion. An investigation has been ordered regarding the employee responsible for not refueling the ambulance, as reported by zarpanews.gr. Additionally, concerns have arisen over the Mobile Neonatal Unit in Chania being out of service for maintenance for a month, forcing transfers to rely on a standard ambulance equipped with necessary gear.