WILLEMSTAD – The newly arrived ambulances in Curaçao are too tall to enter the emergency department at the Curaçao Medical Center (CMC), according to anonymous healthcare sources. The ambulances, built by Iveco, were designed for disaster response and flood conditions rather than standard hospital transport. 

Due to their specialized build, the vehicles are significantly taller than traditional ambulances. According to manufacturer specifications, they can drive through water as deep as 75 centimeters, which is useful in flood-prone areas. However, this increased ground clearance makes it impossible for the vehicles to enter the covered emergency bay of the CMC. 

The hospital’s emergency entrance was designed with standard-sized ambulances in mind, which can fit under the designated overhang. The new Iveco units exceed that height, rendering them incompatible with current infrastructure. 

It remains unclear how the issue will be resolved. Authorities have not yet announced whether the ambulances will be modified, if the hospital infrastructure will be adjusted, or whether the vehicles will remain out of service until a solution is found.