The young woman, who was in her 30s, is believed to have been out with her friends at the weekend when she collapsed. BBC News NI reports that her friends then called 999 and were informed that they would have to wait before the crews arrived as “the only crew available was in Belfast”. Read more: NI teen saves life through organ donation after having his own transplant It is also reported that it took 45 minutes for the ambulance to reach the woman – she died on the spot in the early hours of Sunday. A NIAS spokesman told the BBC that the “planned level of resources in the southern division on Saturday night was 10 crews”. But only three crews were available for that shift. “As NIAS manages the service on a regional basis with the nearest available ambulance responding to the next most urgent clinical call, crews from other departments will have responded to calls to the southern ward,” the statement continued. “NIAS also had three A&E support crews and an independent ambulance crew to complement the emergency crews. “NIAS would like to apologize to patients and their careers for any delays that occurred as a result of the reduced coverage on Saturday night.” Read more: A man who lost both legs in an attempt to “live with dignity” at his home in Belfast Read more: “He is my hero”: The special bond between father and son of N.I. after kidney donation To receive the latest news directly in your inbox, subscribe to our free newsletter.
