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UNICEF welcomes British Airways support of tsunami relief efforts

NEW YORK, 5 January 2005 – UNICEF welcomes the support of British Airways for making a weekly 747 freighter flight available to UNICEF to get humanitarian supplies to tsunami-stricken countries.

The carrier said it will offer a 747 freighter to UNICEF once a week, sending it to UNICEF’s main emergency warehouse supply hub in Copenhagen for cargo pick-up and delivering relief aid to any destination in the devastated tsunami-affected region.

The flights will start on 19 January and will continue until March.

UNICEF is working to meet the urgent needs of millions of people who survived the tsunamis but now need shelter, water, medical supplies and other urgent assistance.

Relief supplies include:

Supply of clean, safe water and provision of basic sanitation
Emergency health kits containing medical supplies
Oral rehydration salts to combat diarrhoea
Shelter equipment such as tents and blankets
School-in-a-box kits containing education materials

UNICEF’s ongoing relief efforts will bring lifesaving support and care to children across the region, particularly in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Maldives.

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For interviews and other details from the ground, please contact UNICEF press officers:

In Indonesia: John Budd + 62 811 936 437, GMT +7 hrs
                      Gordon Weiss +62 868-122-99944, GMT +7hrs
In Sri Lanka: Martin Dawes  cell: + 977 985 10 40961,
                      office: 94 11 2555270 x 250, GMT +6 hrs
In The Maldives: Binita Shah + 960 784 196, GMT +5 hrs
In India: Corrine Woods + 91 981 86 49088, GMT +5:30 hrs
               Michael Galway + 91 981 86 49088
In Bangkok: Shantha Bloemen + 66 1 906 0813, GMT +7 hrs
In Geneva: Soraya Bermejo +41 22 909 5706, GMT +1 hr
In Copenhagen:  Sandie Blanchet +45 35 27 32 07 GMT +1 hr
NY Headquarters: Simon Ingram + 1 212 326 -7426, GMT -5 hrs