Volga-Dnepr delivers bio medicines in fight against Ebola

Last week (October 8) Volga-Dnepr undertook an emergency cargo flight carrying mobile biomedical laboratories to assist the Mérieux Foundation in its fight against the Ebola virus.

One of Volga-Dnepr’s fleet of twelve An-124-100 aircraft was especially positioned in Lyon-Saint Exupery airport in France to respond to the urgent needs of the Merieux Foundation and its logistics partner Bioport Logistique, in France.

The aircraft carried three of the Merieux Foundation’s 40ft (12m) plug-and-play mobile container laboratories, as well as a mobile laboratory truck belonging to the Praesens Foundation of Belgium.

The cargo was transported to Kigali, Rwanda, in a Volga-Dnepr AN124, before being transferred by road to Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Stuart Smith, Global Director Humanitarian, Volga-Dnepr Group, commented: “We have worked very closely with our colleagues at Bioport Logistique over the last month to ensure that this urgent and life-saving delivery could take place.

“The laboratories need to be treated with special care throughout the loading/unloading and delivery process.

“Volga-Dnepr Group operates probably the world’s most unique fleet of cargo aircraft and is well placed to meet the global needs of government, NGOs and foundations in the response to natural disasters & health crises.”

Volga-Dnepr Group and partner airlines operates a combined fleet of nearly 50 all-cargo aircraft including the world’s largest commercial fleet of ramp-loading An-124 and Il-76-TD-90VD aircraft.