Ursula von der Leyen: EU boss provides first aid above the clouds

What began as an ordinary Swiss flight LX780 from Zurich to Brussels developed into a special event at dizzying heights on Wednesday afternoon. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (66, CDU) was on board – and her medical expertise was suddenly in great demand.

the pilot made an unusual announcement shortly after takeoff at 1:17 p.m. As another passenger reported, a person with medical expertise was urgently sought. The EU Commission President, who was on her way back from the G20 summit in Rio, did not hesitate for long and rushed to the patient’s aid.

“The President provided assistance to the passenger in distress until we landed and medical staff took over care,” Arianna Podesta, deputy chief spokeswoman for the EU Commission, later confirmed the fellow passenger’s account.

This deployment was not new territory for von der Leyen – the doctor of medicine can look back on a long career in the healthcare sector. From 1988 to 1992, after studying medicine, von der Leyen worked as an assistant doctor at the women’s clinic at the Hanover Medical School. After her doctorate as Dr. med. In 1991 she completed a Master of Public Health in 2001 and then worked in the Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine.

The eyewitness on board praised the selfless efforts of the EU Commission President: “I think it’s great how she did it.” Swiss confirmed the incident, but did not provide any further information on the health of the affected passenger for reasons of privacy. The flight landed in Brussels as scheduled.