Volga-Dnepr was one of the first operators to deliver relief supplies to Haiti, starting within 24 hours of the disaster. Since then, the airline's AN-124-100 freighters have completed eight flights on behalf of the Japanese government within the framework of the Russian International project, and a series of 28 all-cargo IL-76 services for the Canadian government.
The Russian airline has operated flights to Port-au-Prince from Sendai and Sapporo in Japan and from Quebec and the military and civil airfield in Trenton, Canada. More than 600 tonnes of urgently-needed supplies have been carried from Canada alone.
Since the start of the humanitarian aid program to Haiti, Volga-Dnepr has transported search and rescue and emergency medical equipment, earth-moving vehicles and water tanks as well as tents, blankets and water purification systems. Despite all of the constraints, every flight was completed as planned thanks to the combined efforts of the airline's operations department and crews and the strong support of airport authorities.
The earthquake on January 12th 2010 claimed the lives of 220,000 people and injured a further 300,000. Over 105,000 houses were destroyed by the disaster, leaving 1.3 million people living in temporary shelters and two million Haitians in need of food.
The government of Haiti estimates it will cost US$11.5 billion to repair and reconstruct the country over the next three years.
Volga-Dnepr has been one of the biggest providers of airlift to governments and relief agencies over the past 20 years, delivering emergency aid to victims of disasters all over the world. The capability of its IL-76 and AN-124 fleet and fast response times have ensured fast and safe deliveries of emergency aid such as large-scale food shipments, mobile kitchens, snow ploughs, ambulances, water purification equipment, tents and medicines.
