ANTONOV Airlines has flown aid and personnel from Chalons Vatry Airport (XCR) in France, to Beira (BEW) in Mozambique to assist with humanitarian efforts in the region in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai.

In addition to a 65-tonne payload of relief supplies, an ANTONOV Airlines AN-124-100 aircraft also carried logistics staff from aid organisations to support disaster relief initiatives in the region.

"Speed and efficiency are key when flying aid to a disaster area, and after the aircraft arrived in Vatry, loading took five hours to complete," said Paul Bingley, Commercial Manager, ANTONOV Airlines.

"We were ready for take-off by the time we received the final over-flight permits, working closely in cooperation with our partner, Bolloré Logistics Nord-Sud."

The cargo included malaria treatments, five water purification stations, and over a thousand tents and shelters to support the humanitarian efforts taking place in the wake of severe flooding after Cyclone Idai.

"ANTONOV Airlines had the hold capacity and flexibility we needed to bring life-saving supplies and assistance to Mozambique in the shortest possible timeframe," said Karine Dantier, Charter Director, Bolloré Logistics.

"The Bolloré Logistics office in Beira, which was at the epicentre of the disaster, provided support staff to facilitate the unloading of the cargo, and having all the necessary expertise, provided handling, administration and the final delivery."

Contributed by ANTONOV Airlines