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IN PICTURES: RAF Chinook helicopters bring relief to Pakistan

Published Friday 28th October 2005

From the air, the devastation caused to Muzaffarabad by the earthquake is easy to see [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]

Thundering into the skies of Pakistan, Chinook heavy lift helicopters are delivering aid and evacuating casualties from the mountain villages devastated by the earthquake. One of the three RAF Chinook helicopters which have deployed to Pakistan to help with the UN-led aid efforts flew its first mission delivering relief and evacuating casualties on 26 October 2005.

Members of 27 Squadron, based at RAF Odiham, distributed desperately needed aid such as shelters, food and medicine to the people in affected areas. Working alongside members of their sister 27 Squadron (of the Pakistani Army Air Corps), the RAF team packed the Chinook with aid and flew into the mountains of Pakistan alongside two American Chinooks.

Wing Commander Shell, who commands the helicopter squadron, said:

"My ground crews have worked round the clock to get the helicopters ready as quickly as possible. The Chinook is a fantastic helicopter and can in these conditions, lift 6 tonnes of shelters, blankets and food up to the most inaccessible regions of the mountains and return with up to 24 casualties on stretchers. The scale of the devastation is painfully apparent from the air and all my crews are determined to do as much as we can to help the people of Pakistan."

Group Captain Les O'Dea, Commander of the British aid mission, adds:

"Britain has strong ties with the people of Pakistan and all my team are determined to do as much as we can to help."

The Royal Air Force Chinook lands on the runway at Chaklala airbase to load up the aid, shelters, food and medicine, for the people of Pakistan cut off by the earthquake's devastation [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	The Royal Air Force Chinook lands on the runway at Chaklala airbase to load up the aid, shelters, food and medicine, for the people of Pakistan cut off by the earthquake's devastation [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	Pre-packaged aid, shelters, food and medicine, are collected alongside the runway at Chaklala airbase, ready to load into the Royal Air Force Chinook [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	Shelters are unloaded from trucks by Pakistani troops and loaded directly into the Royal Air Force Chinook [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]
From the air, the devastation caused to Muzaffarabad by the earthquake is easy to see [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	Shelters are unloaded from trucks by Pakistani troops and loaded directly into the Royal Air Force Chinook [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]
From the air, the devastation caused to Muzaffarabad by the earthquake is easy to see [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	A Pakistan elder sits watching the aid being delivered by a Royal Air Force Chinook [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	Shelters from China are delivered to the people of Pakistan cut off by the earthquake's devastation [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	Shelters, food and medicine are unloaded from the Royal Air Force Chinook in a mountain village cut off by the earthquake's devastation [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]
A British (left) and American Chinook fly through the mountains of Pakistan delivering much needed aid to the people affected by the earthquake [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	A Pakistan elder sits watches aid coming in from a Royal Air Force Chinook [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]
Once fully loaded, the Royal Air Force Chinook heads for a mountain village cut off by the earthquake's devastation [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	Pakistani people living in make-shift shelters, and tents given to them by the relief aid [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	The pre-packaged aid, shelters, food and medicine, are unloaded from the Royal Air Force Chinook [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]	The Royal Air Force Chinook flies through the mountains to a village cut off by the earthquake's devastation [Picture: Cpl Chris Hargreaves RLC]

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