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36 patients per day: more Rega missions than in the previous year

In 2025, Swiss Air-Rescue, Rega helped more people than in the previous year. On average, the Rega crews provided 36 patients per day with medical assistance by air. Rega transported a total of 13,168 people in Switzerland and abroad last year.

A Rega ambulance jet in flight over a coastal landscape.
Rega flight nurse smiling while caring for patients on board an ambulance jet during a repatriation flight.
A Rega rescue helicopter flying past a steep cliff face in the Alps.
Rega crew treating a patient in the snow next to a rescue helicopter in the high mountains.
A Rega emergency doctor monitoring a patient inside the medically equipped cabin of a rescue helicopter.
A Rega Challenger 650 ambulance jet parked on the tarmac, ready for a repatriation flight.

The 2.5 percent rise in the number of patients compared with the previous year is in line with the average trend of the last five years. The helicopter crews flew missions for 11,812 people. 1,356 patients received medical care in one of the three ambulance jets or were flown back to their home country on a scheduled flight.

More work for the Operations Center

The Rega Operations Center organised a total of 20,463 missions – almost 800 more than in the previous year, corresponding to a daily average of 56 missions. The mission numbers for last year were 7 percent higher than the five-year average. The number of patients and missions do not concur because on Rega missions several patients may be transported on the same helicopter or ambulance jet, for example, or because search flights are performed without transporting any patients. Furthermore, the Rega Operations Center also organises missions for the mountain rescuers from the Swiss Alpine Club SAC, as well as livestock transports on behalf of Swiss mountain farmers.

Increase in helicopter missions

Compared with 2024, the number of helicopter missions rose to 15,265 (+3.7%). The number of primary missions, i.e. rescue missions directly at the site of the incident, increased (9,127 missions, +5.0%), while secondary missions, i.e. transport flights between hospitals, declined slightly (2,591 missions, -5.1%). The missions of the helicopter crews are coordinated by the flight coordinators at Rega’s national Air Rescue Center. From there, they dispatch the crews at the 14 Rega bases throughout Switzerland as well as rescuers of partner organisations.

Infographic on Rega's mission statistics for 2025. In 2025, there were a total of 20,463 missions, 13,168 patients were treated, there were 15,265 helicopter missions and 1,368 repatriations. This corresponds to an average of 36 patients and 56 organised missions per day.

Weather affects mission activity

The number of Rega missions is subject to natural fluctuations and reflects the weather conditions and leisure activities of the population and tourists in Switzerland. Overall, the past summer in Switzerland was relatively sunny and warm, apart from a rather rainy July. The mission figures also reflect this: in June, Rega crews flew more missions than in the previous year (1,462, +17.9%), while in July (1,736, -8.0%) they spent less time in the air.

Medical assistance abroad too

Rega comes to the aid of people in distress not only in Switzerland, but also around the world. In 2025, Rega was contacted by 2,590 people with medical problems abroad (+1.5%) and was able to assist 1,234 of them (+2.5%) by telephone. 1,356 patients needed to be repatriated to their home country for medical reasons. In such cases, Rega ensures that the people affected can return home – either on board one of its three ambulance jets or on a scheduled flight.

Rega ambulance jets more frequently airborne

Last year, Rega’s three ambulance jets spent more time in the air than in 2024: the jet crews flew a total of 1,049 missions (+1.5%) and transported 1,046 patients (+1.7%). The flight coordinators organised return flights on scheduled aircraft for 310 people (-2.8%). This cost-effective and ecological alternative to the ambulance jet is considered whenever the patient’s medical condition is sufficiently stable, this form of transport is not expected to have a negative impact on other passengers, and there are enough seats available on board the plane. The number of repatriations also fluctuates from year to year, and the frequency of flights by Rega’s jets varies depending on the travel and work activities of the Swiss population abroad.

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