Abstract
More than 200 Finnish citizens in Thailand and Sri Lanka tourist resorts fell victims to the tsunami disaster on December 26th 2004. An evacuation maneuver was started the following day, and a total of 23 flights carrying over 2000 tourists and victims were arranged between December 27th 2004 and January 2nd 2005. The Medical Director of the Helsinki an Uusimaa hospital district was in charge of the co‐ordination of the medical sector, as well as the managing of all hospitals in the district and information regarding medical data. A medical center was set up at the Helsinki‐Vantaa international airport in order to provide immediate medical services to the arriving victims and to preclude an overflow of patients and uninjured passengers to the hospitals in the district. In all, 239 patients were evaluated, sent to hospitals, and treated by this center during the week. Fourteen severely injured Finnish patients in the local hospitals in Thailand, identified by the members of the Finnish Red Cross and private relief agencies working on‐the‐spot, were successfully evacuated on the fourth day by a Boeing B‐757 airplane which was transferred to a 22‐bed flying hospital.