Surgical teams at KAT Hospital in Athens are performing an organ retrieval operation at midnight on Saturday for a 39-year-old motorcyclist fatally injured in a Voula traffic accident.
The procedure follows the decision by the victim's family to donate his organs after doctors declared him brain dead on August 19, two days after the collision on Coastal Avenue.
Organ retrieval operations require precise logistical coordination, with surgical specialists working simultaneously to preserve organs for immediate transplantation into recipient patients.
Transplant Teams and Hospital Operations
Three specialized surgical teams are operating simultaneously at KAT Hospital to retrieve the donated organs. A medical team from Laiko General Hospital is retrieving the kidneys and liver, a team from Genimatas General Hospital is retrieving the corneas, and a team from Munich, Germany, is retrieving the lungs.
Greece's National Transplant Organization confirmed that preparations for the operation were underway under its direct supervision. The organization coordinates organ donation procedures across the country, managing donor registries, medical evaluations, and logistics between donor ICUs and transplant centers.
In an official statement, the National Transplant Organization offered its deepest condolences to the donor's family. The agency also expressed gratitude on behalf of the transplant community and prospective recipients to the intensive care unit medical and nursing staff, collaborating laboratories, and the administration of KAT General Hospital.
KAT General Hospital, located in Kifisia in northern Athens, is Greece's primary referral facility for trauma and orthopedic emergency care. Laiko General Hospital and Genimatas General Hospital are major public tertiary hospitals in Athens with specialized surgical units, while international transplant partnerships allow European teams from centers such as Munich to participate in organ retrievals.
Crash Details and Police Investigation
The fatal accident took place on the evening of Monday, August 17, along Coastal Avenue near Crete Square in Voula, a coastal suburb situated on the Saronic Gulf south of Athens. Coastal Avenue is a key arterial road connecting Athens to southern seaside districts including Vouliagmeni.
According to police information, a taxi traveling in the middle lane toward Vouliagmeni attempted an improper U-turn near Crete Square. The maneuver cut off the 39-year-old motorcyclist, who was traveling in the same direction in the left lane.
The motorcycle struck the taxi at high speed, causing catastrophic injuries to the rider. The moment of impact was recorded by local security camera footage, which has been examined by traffic investigators.
Following the crash, emergency responders transported the injured rider to KAT General Hospital, where medical staff placed him in intensive care. Doctors formally declared him brain dead based on strict neurological criteria on Wednesday, August 19.
Authorities questioned the taxi driver following the collision before releasing him under restrictive conditions pending further legal proceedings. During questioning, the driver provided testimony regarding his GPS navigation system leading up to the U-turn.
The National Transplant Organization stated that the organ retrieval surgery scheduled for 00:30 on Saturday, August 22, marks the completion of the donation process authorized by the victim's family.
