Mission Aviation Fellowship aircraft on standby to help in Burma devastation

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) aircraft are on standby to fly to Burma to speed help to those affected in the wake of the destructive cyclone.

Cyclone Nargis hit Burma on Saturday 2 May, bringing devastation to large parts of the country. Current information suggests that the death toll could be as high as 134,000 people. Another 2.4 million are believed to be struggling without access to clean water, food, medicine or shelter.

While MAF does not have an operation in Burma, it has a team working hard to gain permissions to access the reclusive country. Despite the enormity of the need, the government has been reluctant to issue NGO-type visas.

However, MAF's Asia Regional Director has recently been granted a visa to enter Burma where, as well as continuing to pursue permissions to operate, he is surveying with potential partners the needs on the ground and how MAF could most effectively help, both through air support and logistical co-ordination.

Aid agencies responded with caution to the promise from Burma's military ruler Than Shwe that all aid officials and disaster assessment teams would be allowed in "regardless of nationalities". MAF said it is ready to help with the relief effort, if it gets the go-ahead.

MAF's Bangladesh and Papua operations are on standby to deploy two amphibious Cessna Caravans to Burma if needed. The badly affected Irrawaddy Delta region of Burma is geographically much like southern Bangladesh with a vast network of rivers. Being able to land on land and water, these aircraft would be a vital tool in such an environment to help many people and organisations deliver aid to communities which would otherwise be very difficult to reach.

MAF deployed a similar type of aircraft to the Aceh province of Sumatra following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, which enabled many isolated communities to receive essential aid for the first time.

As Disaster Response Manager John Woodberry affirms, "The need is tremendous and we can help."