Emirates SkyCargo has begun assisting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with the transport of humanitarian relief for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka.
An Emirates SkyCargo Boeing 747-400 freighter on charter to the UNHCR landed at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Monday with a cargo of 119 tonnes of tents for people who have crossed into government controlled areas to escape the ongoing conflict in the north east of the island.
It was the first aircraft carrying relief supplies to arrive in the country, the airline said.
A second Emirates freighter, a Boeing 777 carrying another 100 tonnes of relief goods, mostly tents, arrived on Tuesday. Chandana de Silva, Emirates Area Manager Sri Lanka and Maldives said Emirates is happy it was able to divert two dedicated freighter aircraft within 24 hours to serve the needs of the UNHCR.
He said more Emirates SkyCargo freighters carrying humanitarian relief goods are expected to arrive in the weeks ahead.
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