EKAB ambulance reportedly forced to pay ferry ticket during emergency patient transfer in Thasos

An ambulance crew from Greece’s emergency medical service EKAB was reportedly required to pay a ferry ticket while transporting a cancer patient during an emergency transfer in Thasos, according to a complaint by the workers’ union.

The incident allegedly occurred on Sunday, June 22, at the port of Limenas Thasos, when the ambulance attempted to board a ferry to Keramoti while transferring a serious patient from the Health Center of Prinos to the General Hospital of Kavala.

Ferry operator allegedly insisted on payment

According to the union’s statement, ferry officials demanded payment for the ambulance to be allowed to board, despite being informed that the vehicle was on an emergency medical mission.

The crew reportedly refused to pay, arguing that the ambulance was operating in an official emergency capacity. However, the ferry operator allegedly recorded the personal details of the paramedics in order to pursue payment collection procedures.

To avoid delays that could endanger the patient’s condition, a ticket was ultimately issued for the ambulance vehicle.

Strong reaction from ambulance workers

The EKAB workers’ union described the incident as “unprecedented and absolutely unacceptable,” warning that financial obstacles during emergency medical transport could cause critical delays and risk patient lives.

They stressed that emergency ambulances must be able to operate without obstruction, especially when transporting patients in urgent need of care.

Calls for investigation

The union has called on the Ministries of Shipping and Health, as well as EKAB administration, to investigate the incident and ensure that similar cases do not occur in the future.

They emphasized that human life cannot depend on ticket payments or administrative procedures, urging the state to guarantee uninterrupted emergency medical transport services across all transport routes.