Russian Volga-Dnepr says, it has successfully transported four "Water Bombers" from Australia to Greece with seven crews on Saturday after jetting from Wellcamp Airport to Perth on Thursday morning.
The Russian aircraft Antonov An-124 of Volga-Dnepr, chartered by Sunshine Coast company 'McDermott Aviation' , transported the Australian water bombers to Greece.
The first two Bell 214B aerial water-bombing helicopters and supplies were loaded onto the Antonov An-124 in Wellcamp Airport in Queensland , and another two Bell 214B helicopters were loaded on the Antonov-124 in Perth.
More than 500 wildfires have been raging across Greece this month, fuelled by strong winds and parched vegetation. Foreign teams are also helping to tackle blazes in the Peloponnese.
"It is the first time we have had so many dead storks in Athens," said Maria Ganoti of Anima, a conservation group which is rescuing injured birds. "People in Athens are picking up dead storks from their lawns."
Thousands of people have been evacuated from villages in Greece, which is also getting firefighting help from some other EU countries, Israel, Switzerland and the UK.
Water-bombing helicopters are dousing the flames near Istiaia, at the island's northern tip. Ukraine, Romania and Serbia sent help to the fire zone.
The Volga-Dnepr An-124, registrered as RA-82047,reached Wellcamp on August 11th to load the first two disassembled Bell 214B aerial firefighting helicopters , and required supplies.
Volga-Dnepr tweeted,
Volga-Dnepr’s An-124 delivers four water-bombers to Greece to support seasonal wildfire-fighting efforts. Only two days after flight confirmation An-124-100 was positioned to Australia for its journey to Athens (Greece) with double pick-up at Wellcamp and Perth (Australia).
Volga-Dnepr’s An-124 delivers four water-bombers to Greece to support seasonal wildfire-fighting efforts. Only two days after flight confirmation An-124-100 was positioned to Australia for its journey to Athens (Greece) with double pick-up at Wellcamp and Perth (Australia). pic.twitter.com/5YxhfMBwt5
— Volga-Dnepr Group (@volgadneprgroup) August 24, 2021
Next day, the transport aircraft took off from Wellcamp , made a stop at Perth to collect another two Bell 214B firefighting helicopters . From there, the aircraft left for Greece, via Sri Lanka , completing the trip on Saturday.
The helicopters have been transported to help Greece, as it faces “natural disaster of unprecedented proportions”, as termed by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Picture : Volga-Dnepr.
