New Delhi (NVI) : The world’s largest cargo plane Antonov 124 is bringing three 18-tonne oxygen generators and 1,000 ventilators to India from UK as part of its latest response to the Covid-19 crisis in this country.
The aircraft is expected to reach India on Sunday morning, after which the Indian Red Cross will help transfer them to hospitals, a statement by the British High Commission here said tonight.
Each of the three oxygen generation units – the size of 40ft freight containers – produces 500 litres of oxygen per minute, enough for 50 people to use at a time, it said.
This support, previously announced, is in addition to 200 ventilators and 495 oxygen concentrators, which the UK sent to India in late April, it said.
It comes following discussions with India and a pledge from Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the UK to do all it can to help, the statement said.
The latest assistance package has been sourced by the Department of Health and Social Care and is fully funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the statement said.
Commenting on this, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “The UK is sending surplus oxygen generators from Northern Ireland to India. This life-saving equipment will support the country’s hospitals as they care for vulnerable Covid patients.
“The UK and India are working together to tackle this pandemic. No-one is safe until we are all safe.”
