Medical emergencies on a boat in Panama

In a medical emergency on a boat in Panama, call 911 and VHF 16, give first aid, and head for the nearest dock with road access, where an ambulance can meet you. Panama City and David have the main hospitals. From Las Perlas, San Blas or Coiba, the problem is transport first, so plan evacuation and insurance before you leave.

The first moves

1. Give first aid and keep the person still and shaded.
2. Call 911. SUME 9-1-1 is Panama's single emergency system, and the call is free. Ask for an ambulance to meet you at a named dock.
3. Call VHF 16 with pan-pan, or mayday if life is at risk. SENAN can help with transport at sea.
4. Head for the dock with the best road access, not necessarily the closest one.
5. Write things down: what happened, when, the symptoms, and any medicines given. Paramedics and doctors will ask.

The full list of numbers is in who to call in a boating emergency.

Where help is, area by area

• Panama City and the bay. The Amador causeway marinas and La Playita have road access minutes from the city's hospitals. The city has the country's largest public and private hospitals.
• Taboga. About 8 nm from Amador. Running back to Amador by boat is often faster than waiting for help.
• Las Perlas. About 35 nm from Amador. Expect one to two hours by fast boat. Some islands have airstrips; ask your insurer and evacuation provider which they use.
• San Blas (Guna Yala). Remote. Evacuation is by boat to the mainland, then by road or air. Plan the route before you go.
• Caribbean coast. Colón has hospitals. From Portobelo or Linton Bay, plan a road route to Colón or Panama City.
• Bocas del Toro. Basic hospital care on Isla Colón. Serious cases need transfer.
• Chiriquí and Coiba. David has the region's main hospitals. From Coiba, it is a long boat ride to the mainland.

Before a trip outside Panama City, note the nearest dock with road access on your float plan.

Meeting the ambulance: what to tell 911

An ambulance cannot find a boat. It can find a dock. When you call 911, give:

• the name of the dock or marina, and the nearest road or landmark
• your estimated time of arrival
• the patient's age, what happened and the main symptoms
• a phone number aboard that will stay on

Call the marina office on its VHF channel as well. Flamenco Marina works VHF 10 and La Playita VHF 9. Staff can open gates, clear a berth at the fuel dock and guide the ambulance in. On the Pacific, remember the tide. At low water a fixed pier or ramp can be a steep climb, and carrying a patient up it is hard. A floating pontoon is better. If the person cannot walk, plan how you will lift them off the boat before you arrive.

What actually goes wrong

• Heat and sun. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are the most likely problems in Panama's climate. Carry shade, water and oral rehydration salts.
• Injuries. Falls on wet decks and steep gangways at low tide, propeller and line injuries, and fishhooks.
• Marine stings and cuts. Coral cuts get infected quickly in the heat. Clean them well.
• Seasickness and dehydration on rough dry-season crossings.
• Existing conditions. Ask guests about heart problems, diabetes and allergies before a long trip, and keep their information private.

Stock a medical kit for the trip length. On long passages, a satellite phone or radio link to a doctor is worth more than extra kit.

Diving accidents

DAN (Divers Alert Network) gives clear advice for an injured diver. Take them to the best local emergency medical care first. Specialists then decide on recompression. Give 100% oxygen if you are trained. Call local emergency services, then the DAN emergency line on +1 919 684 9111.

Do not plan around a particular hyperbaric chamber unless it has confirmed it will take you. The ACP publishes a tariff for its own chamber, subject to equipment and staff availability, but that is not a public guarantee. Confirm with DAN and your hospital before a dive trip. For operators, see running dive and snorkel charters.

Insurance and evacuation

• Travel medical insurance with evacuation cover matters for visitors. Check that it covers boating and the waters you are in.
• Private hospitals usually expect payment or an insurer's guarantee. Carry the insurer's 24-hour number and policy number aboard.
• Crew who are employees are usually registered with the CSS (Caja de Seguro Social). Work injuries follow its rules. See your employer's CSS registration.
• Charter operators should check that their civil liability policy covers guests' medical expenses and evacuation. See charter insurance and liability.

After the emergency

Serious injuries and deaths aboard should be reported to the AMP. Police may also open a file. See reporting a boating accident. Keep your notes and the times. Your insurer will ask for them.

Your practical starting checklist

1. Save 911 and your insurer's 24-hour number in every phone aboard.
2. Choose the dock with road access you would run to, and mark it in the plotter.
3. Stock a medical kit and oral rehydration salts for the trip length.
4. Ask guests about medical conditions before long trips, and keep it private.
5. Check that travel or charter insurance covers boating and evacuation.
6. For dive trips, save DAN's emergency line and confirm the chamber plan.

Frequently asked questions

The next question to answer

Every number in one place. Read Boating emergencies in Panama: who to call.

DAN, Coiba and dive safety. Read Dive and snorkel charters in Panama.

Distances and fuel. Read Las Perlas from Panama City.

Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare Preparing for Medical Emergencies Aboard.

Official resources

Use the relevant Panamanian authority for current requirements and fees. These resources are the next place to check; a practical recommendation is not an agency determination.

• Ley 44 de 2007, SUME 9-1-1 (free 911 calls; Gaceta Oficial 25911, text via Justia) ↗
• DAN: emergency guidance and hotline ↗
• ACP: tariff 2160, hyperbaric chamber services (Dec 2025) ↗