Antonov Airlines said it transported medical supplies at short notice from Germany to Namibia on the world’s largest aircraft, the AN-225 “Mriya”. 

It said the mission was executed under the Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS) programme.

In a statement, Antonov noted that the AN-225, which has recently returned to commercial operation took off from its home base at Kyiv-Antonov, Ukraine and flew to Liepzig-Halle airport, Germany to load the cargo destined for Windhoek, Namibia with one refuelling and rest stop in Accra, Ghana.

AN-225 has the biggest aircraft cargo cabin and is the best option to accommodate the greatest volume of humanitarian cargoes.

The AN-225 Mriya can transport up to 250 tonnes and complements Antonov Airlines’ fleet of seven AN-124-100s, two with a capacity of up to 150 tonnes.

"The medical and humanitarian cargo, provided by German Military Medical Command, was a mixture of masks, anti-viral gowns, medicines, and other personal protective equipment (PPE), transported on behalf of Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defence at the request of the Namibian Government," Antonov said.

It added that Antonov also frequently transports humanitarian aid on its AN-225 and fleet of seven AN-124-100s to rapidly support emergency services and governments by carrying volumes of cargo that cannot be matched by other aircraft.