Medical Repatriation between Egypt and France
A diving accident in Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh, sudden illness during a Nile cruise, or a hospital stay in Cairo: we organize the medically escorted return to France.
Egypt, with its Red Sea resorts (Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh) and Nile cruises, is a very popular destination for French divers and tourists. Repatriations most often follow diving accidents with suspected decompression sickness, but also sudden illness or accidents during a standard stay.
In a decompression accident, the speed of care and the aircraft's configuration (cabin held at sea level) are critical — our coordinating physician assesses the situation with the local care team from the first call.
Common situations on this route
- Diving accident with suspected decompression sickness (Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh)
- Sudden illness or accident during a Nile cruise or a stay in Cairo
- Hospital stay requiring transfer to a French facility
- Repatriation of a body following a death in Egypt
Airports served
On the Egypt side
- Hurghada – Hurghada International Airport (HRG)
- Sharm el-Sheikh – Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport (SSH)
- Cairo – Cairo International Airport (CAI)
- Luxor – Luxor International Airport (LXR)
On the France side
- Paris – Charles de Gaulle & Orly
- Marseille Provence
- Nice Côte d'Azur
- Lyon–Saint-Exupéry
Formalities & coordination
A repatriation from Egypt involves specific flight clearances and customs coordination for the air ambulance, as with any non-EU destination. These steps are anticipated as soon as a case is opened.
For a decompression accident, our team configures the mission with our Sea Level Flight service, which keeps the cabin at a pressure close to sea level throughout the flight, so as not to worsen the patient's condition.
Customs and consular formalities vary case by case and change over time. Our team confirms the exact documents required from the first contact.
Related services
Common questions about this route
Call our 24/7 medical desk as soon as symptoms appear. Speed of care is critical when decompression sickness is suspected, and a local hyperbaric chamber may be needed before a repatriation is even considered.
No — the cabin altitude of a standard commercial flight can worsen a decompression accident. A flight with cabin pressure held at sea level (Sea Level Flight) is generally required, on medical advice.
A medical situation abroad can't wait.
Our coordinators are available right now — every day, at any hour.