SAS Medevac crew members honored with Norwegian Armed Forces medals

24 employees from SAS are being awarded the Norwegian Armed Forces’ Medal for International Service for their contributions to medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions in support of Ukraine. They are receiving the medals alongside healthcare personnel from the Norwegian Armed Forces Joint Medical Services and the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

In close cooperation with the Norwegian Armed Forces, SAS is operating a specially configured MEDEVAC aircraft available for various international missions. In recent years, its primary use has been the evacuation of wounded patients from Ukraine. Several SAS crew members will now receive official recognition for their vital role in these demanding operations. 

As part of Norway’s official commemoration of the 80th anniversary of its liberation on Thursday, 8 May 2025, six SAS pilots, twelve cabin crew members, two flight coordinators, and four engineers was awarded the Norwegian Armed Forces Medal for International Operations (FMIT). 

“For all of us at SAS, this recognition is deeply meaningful, and we are incredibly proud of the SAS crews who have served on these demanding missions. Their professionalism, dedication, and willingness to contribute in such an essential way embody the very best of what SAS stands for. It’s an honor for us to support the important humanitarian efforts for Ukraine through this Medevac partnership,” says Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of SAS. 

The MEDEVAC aircraft – a specially configured SAS Boeing 737 – is equipped with hospital beds and medical infrastructure to transport injured individuals in need of urgent care. Since the start of the operation nearly three years ago, the aircraft has transported more than 2400 wounded Ukrainian soldiers. 

Missions are carried out by experienced SAS crews, with medical treatment provided by personnel from the Norwegian Armed Forces. 

“We are very satisfied with the collaboration we have with SAS, from those who coordinate and facilitate, to those who are on the plane. On board, they are one team with a common very important mission. I am therefore very happy that the SAS personnel on board also receive the medal together with our people,“ says Brigadier General Petter Iversen, Norwegian Surgeon General. 

The awarding of the FMIT medal underscores the importance of the MEDEVAC operation and SAS’ continued role in supporting Norwegian and international humanitarian missions. 

The Norwegian Armed Forces Medal for International Operations is awarded to Norwegian military and civilian personnel who have served outside the borders of the Kingdom, following a decision by Norwegian political authorities. The service must be related to international missions involving preparedness, surveillance and patrol duties, stabilizing presence, or assignments abroad carried out under, or in support of, operations led by the UN, NATO, the EU, coalition partners, or as part of bilateral cooperation.