Emergency Over, RAF Ends Food Flights in Ethiopia
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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Britain’s Royal Air Force ended a 13-month emergency food airlift operation in Ethiopia today, saying conditions have improved markedly since the flights began.
“We came out here to fight the famine and we have done as much as we can,” Flight Lt. Stuart Marston said. “We were purely here for the emergency, and the emergency seems to have disappeared.”
Two RAF Hercules transport planes, with a capacity of 16 tons, have been used to mount the airlift to areas difficult to reach by road.
Two C160 Transall aircraft with an eight-ton capacity, supplied by the West German Luftwaffe, have been part of the airlift and will continue operations through Monday.
Crews from both countries intend to return home by Dec. 19.
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