In a rare large-scale medical evacuation, Swiss authorities confirmed on 4 January 2026 that 35 patients injured in the devastating Crans-Montana nightclub fire have been airlifted to specialised burn centres in Belgium, Germany, France and Italy. The transfer was organised through the European Union’s Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), which Switzerland has participated in since 2014.
The UCPM allows member states to pool resources and rapidly mobilise aircraft, intensive-care teams and hospital beds across borders when national capacity is overwhelmed. Swiss hospitals reached saturation after treating more than 70 severe burn cases in 48 hours, prompting the Federal Office for Civil Protection to activate the mechanism. Military transport planes from Italy and Germany, as well as a Belgian Air Force A330 MRTT equipped for bio-containment, shuttled patients out of Bern and Sion under Euro-Atlantic aeromedical protocols.
For global-mobility and insurance professionals the operation is a reminder that cross-border patient transfers can be executed swiftly when treaties and reciprocal billing structures are in place. Companies with expatriate staff in Switzerland should verify that their medical plans recognise the UCPM framework; while treatment costs are initially borne by the receiving state, insurers will ultimately be invoiced under EU Regulation 883/2004 and bilateral health agreements.
![Switzerland evacuates 35 burn victims to EU clinics via Civil Protection Mechanism]()
For organisations and families needing to move people across borders on short notice, having the right travel documents is equally critical. VisaHQ can streamline the process by securing Swiss visas for relatives, medical escorts and crisis responders, and by arranging onward documentation for Belgium, Germany, France or Italy through its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/). By handling the paperwork quickly and accurately, VisaHQ frees HR teams and insurers to focus on medical and logistical priorities rather than immigration hurdles.
The incident also stresses the importance of contingency planning for non-business-related mobility risks. Several multinational firms had employees among the casualties; their HR teams worked alongside the government to coordinate family travel, emergency leave and psychological support. Employers are advised to update crisis handbooks to include the procedures for requesting UCPM assistance and to maintain up-to-date contact lists for local cantonal authorities.
Looking ahead, Bern will conduct an after-action review with EU partners to assess whether Switzerland should invest in additional burn-care capacity or rely on cross-border support. The findings could influence future investment decisions in specialised medical infrastructure and may lead to revised protocols for large events that draw expatriate communities and tourists to alpine resorts.
The UCPM allows member states to pool resources and rapidly mobilise aircraft, intensive-care teams and hospital beds across borders when national capacity is overwhelmed. Swiss hospitals reached saturation after treating more than 70 severe burn cases in 48 hours, prompting the Federal Office for Civil Protection to activate the mechanism. Military transport planes from Italy and Germany, as well as a Belgian Air Force A330 MRTT equipped for bio-containment, shuttled patients out of Bern and Sion under Euro-Atlantic aeromedical protocols.
For global-mobility and insurance professionals the operation is a reminder that cross-border patient transfers can be executed swiftly when treaties and reciprocal billing structures are in place. Companies with expatriate staff in Switzerland should verify that their medical plans recognise the UCPM framework; while treatment costs are initially borne by the receiving state, insurers will ultimately be invoiced under EU Regulation 883/2004 and bilateral health agreements.
For organisations and families needing to move people across borders on short notice, having the right travel documents is equally critical. VisaHQ can streamline the process by securing Swiss visas for relatives, medical escorts and crisis responders, and by arranging onward documentation for Belgium, Germany, France or Italy through its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/). By handling the paperwork quickly and accurately, VisaHQ frees HR teams and insurers to focus on medical and logistical priorities rather than immigration hurdles.
The incident also stresses the importance of contingency planning for non-business-related mobility risks. Several multinational firms had employees among the casualties; their HR teams worked alongside the government to coordinate family travel, emergency leave and psychological support. Employers are advised to update crisis handbooks to include the procedures for requesting UCPM assistance and to maintain up-to-date contact lists for local cantonal authorities.
Looking ahead, Bern will conduct an after-action review with EU partners to assess whether Switzerland should invest in additional burn-care capacity or rely on cross-border support. The findings could influence future investment decisions in specialised medical infrastructure and may lead to revised protocols for large events that draw expatriate communities and tourists to alpine resorts.
