Heavy medical payload heads for Poland

The six-engine An-225, the world's largest cargo aircraft, is owned by Ukraine Antonov Co. It departed Tianjin for Poland on Monday with 81.3 metric tons of medical supplies to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. [Photo by Ma Cheng/For chinadaily.com.cn]

A six-engine An-225 — the world's largest cargo aircraft — departed Tianjin Binhai International Airport for Poland on Monday with 81.3 metric tons of medical supplies made in China to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The flight is expected to arrive in Warsaw on April 14. The aircraft, owned by Ukraine Antonov Co, made a brief stop in Almaty, Kazakhstan and is expected to arrive in Warsaw on Tuesday local time to deliver medical supplies made in China. The shipment includes face masks and other urgently needed protective supplies.

Since March 22, Tianjin Binhai International Airport has helped transport around 1,000 metric tons of domestically made medical supplies to aid global efforts against COVID-19. More than 60 international cargo flights have been chartered to countries including Poland, Serbia, Pakistan and Russia.