May 10, 2019: Antonov Airlines has carried 65 tonne of relief supplies and logistics personnel from Chalons Vatry Airport in France to Beira in Mozambique in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai.

"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. We were ready for take-off by the time we received the final over-flight permits, working closely in cooperation with our partner, Bollore Logistics Nord-Sud," said Paul Bingley, commercial manager, Antonov Airlines.

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 time frame," said Karine Dantier, charter director, Bollore Logistics.

"The Bollore 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," noted Dantier.