Frederik & Mary inaugurate trauma centre helipad

Photo: Keld Navntoft © TV2/Scanpix

Today Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary have flown in to inaugurate a new helicopter landing pad on the roof of the central building at Rigshospitalet (University Hospital) in Copenhagen. The new
helipad, to service Righospitalet's trauma centre, has been funded by Arnold Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller through the foundation set up in his own and his wife's name, Emma Mc-Kinney Møller, who died in 2005 after 65 years of marriage. Arnold Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller has funded many philanthropic projects through the foundation in his parents' names, A.P. Møller and Mrs Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Fond, and his own and his wife's foundation (which, for example, funded the new Royal Opera House). Combined with the new EH101 Merlin rescue helicopters, all Danes and others in Danish territory will have rapid access to the best health care at Rigshospitalet in emergencies and critical health situations. The helipad is 35 metres in diameter, 80 metres above ground, or, 16 storeys up. Frederik and Mary were flown from Fredensborg directly to Rigshospitalet and were greeted by a very sprightly Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller and hospital director Jørgen Jørgensen, among others.

From Billed Bladet ©:



Billed Bladet photo gallery (with some great shots!)


© ¡Hola!

Kronprinsparret indvier helikopterlandingsplads (in Danish, about the program for the day with Frederik and Mary landing in an EH101 from Flyvevåbnet (new rescue helicopters) on the heliport to be greeted by Mr Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller and Rigshospitalet management. Afterwards they will go downstairs to attend a reception in the Trauma Centre)
Helikopterplatform på taget af Rigshospitalet (in Danish, shows illustrations of helipad)

TV2 story 'Frederik og Mary højt oppe' (Frederik and Mary up high - it was neither disease nor birth which brought the Crown Prince or his wife to the University Hospital in Copenhagen today. Rather it was for the inauguration of the hospital's new helicopter platform, which has been donated by Mærsk McKinney Møller. The Crown Prince Couple arrived by helicopter onto the platform, which is on the roof of the 20 storey hospital building. Previously the helicopters had to land in Fælledparken, which meant that it took about 45 minutes extra before a patient arrived for treatment.)
B.T. story 'Frederik og Mary kom i helikopter til Riget' (Frederik and Mary - same as above: the new facility improves the outcomes for critically ill patients throughout Denmark, and adds that quicker treatment improves survival chances for critically ill patients and minimizes the risk of permanent injuries)
DR news story 'Helikopter kan nu lande på Rigshospitalet'
Jyllands Posten 'Frederik og Mary landede på Riget'
Billed Bladet 'Kronprinsparret landede på taget' (...The Crown Prince Couple boarded the air force's second EH101 Merlin rescue chopper at Fredensborg Palace and then flew directly to the University Hospital of Copenhagen.
At Rigshospitalet Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller greeted the Crown Prince Couple and also participated in the inauguration of the new heliport.
The landing pad has a diameter of 35 meters and a separate lift which quickly delivers patients to the trauma centre from the platform on the 16th floor...
With the new heliport patients can begin being treated just minutes after landing.)

TV2 news clip (0:33)
DR1 video clip (0:50) (here you can see that Caroline Heering accompanied Mary today and there is a windsock in the Danish colours on the platform!)
B.T. video clip (1:30) - arrival on the helipad and perhaps some big waves for the maternity ward?

Added: Madeleine Glindorf's photo gallery