A special relief flight of vital emergency supplies and equipment bound for earthquake stricken Haiti took off from Stansted Airport today.

The British Airways Boeing 747 freighter departed from the UK’s third busiest airport carrying aid from Oxfam, the Red Cross, UNICEF and the World Food Programme.

David Johnston, Stansted Airport’s Managing Director, said: “We are all too aware of the devastating effects last week’s earthquake has had on the people of Haiti. The supplies onboard this BA aircraft will be vital in helping the on-going relief effort, so we’re more than happy to waive the usual charges for the flight and do our little bit to help.”

Two Toyota Land Cruisers from the Red Cross plus 50 tonnes of food and blankets from Oxfam were loaded at Stansted. The flight will stop en route at Billund, Denmark, to pick up a further 25 tonnes of food and tents from The World Food Programme and 20 tonnes of water supplies and tents from UNICEF.

The plane, crewed by BA partner Global Supply Systems, is scheduled to touch down at Santa Domingo in the Dominican Republic in the early hours of Saturday morning.