The air ambulance helicopter, transporting the 17-year-old National Guard conscript to France, took off at 2pm from Larnaca airport.

The conscript, who was hospitalised after feeling unwell during an exercise, will be admitted to Paul Brousse Hospital France – a university hospital and transplant centre.

The health ministry said the teenager remains in a critical, but stable condition.

Health ministry spokesman Demetris Constantinou told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) earlier that the air ambulance had been expected to leave Sunday night, however it had completed its flight hours for the day and so the transport was moved to Monday.

The air ambulance landed after 10pm and the medical team examined the 17-year-old at the Nicosia general hospital.

The health ministry spokesman said all procedures are being carried out so the conscript, believed to be in the special forces, was safely taken to Larnaca airport, from where he would be flown out.

Constantinou could not give details on the boy’s health and advised waiting for the opinion of the team of doctors and scientists in France.

The boy was intubated in the intensive care unit at the Nicosia general hospital on Saturday after reportedly feeling “fatigued” after a morning exercise the previous day.