The Cologne-based Dieter Morszeck Foundation is helping victims of severe weather in the Bahamas. Since last Thursday, she has been flying rescue missions from Florida with three of her aircraft for injured and ill victims of Hurricane Dorian and bringing medical personnel, drinking water and food to the northern islands. One of their pilots is Zurich's Cedric Gitchenko
Three aircraft from the Dieter Morszeck Foundation have taken on rescue flights to the Bahamas. The first missions to the hard-hit northeast of the Bahamas started last Thursday from Fort Lauderdale in Florida. Around 100 injured and ill people have already been flown from the devastated islands to the capital Nassau or to Florida, where they receive medical help. On the way there, the machines transport drinking water, food and hygiene products for the population of the hard-hit islands in the Bahamas.
The Foundation's light, single-engine aircraft are equipped with amphibious floats and can take off and land both on water and on paved runways. The Quest Aircraft Kodiak 100, Pilatus Porter PC-6 and Cessna 206 aircraft can accommodate up to 8 passengers or a ton of cargo and can also transport injured or sick people lying down. They were procured by the Dieter Morszeck Foundation to provide medical care for jungle inhabitants in Brazil.
“We rescue people who were injured by Hurricane Dorian or are seriously ill,” explains German pilot Sven Lepschy, who has lived in Florida for many years and initiated the Dieter Morszeck Foundation rescue mission.
On outbound flights to the islands, the machines transport bottled drinking water, canned food and hygiene products. “With our small aircraft, we can also reach the outermost islands in the northeast of the Bahamas. Many people there have lost everything. Their homes have been destroyed and they are currently living in very difficult hygienic conditions.”
Since the start of the mission, rescue flights have also brought over 55 tons of drinking water, food and emergency aid to remote islands.
The foundation's amphibious aircraft can also land directly in the water at small airfields or off remote islands and pick up people in need on beaches or from boats.
“The assignments are very demanding. Although we can land on the water with our swimmers, there is a lot of wood and rubbish floating there after the storm, which can become a threat,” explains Zurich professional pilot Cedric Gitschenko, who lives partly in the Bahamas and has been flying rescue missions without interruption since Thursday.
The missions are also difficult from a human point of view. “When I see what the storm has done, my heart bleeds. But thanks to the Dieter Morszeck Foundation and numerous volunteers from Florida, we can make a contribution to alleviate the hardship at least somewhat.”
Dieter Morszeck Foundation
The Dieter Morszeck Foundation was founded in 2016 by Cologne-based entrepreneur Dieter Morszeck. It supports and runs projects in air rescue, medical research and care, education and the promotion of children and young people in financial need.
In Brazil, the Foundation is setting up a mission to provide medical care to the indigenous people in the Amazon region through “flying doctors.” For this purpose, it has procured several amphibious aircraft, which are equipped for medical transport. They are currently being used for relief missions in the Bahamas.
Call for donations
Support the Dieter Morszeck Foundation with aid missions from the air.
Donation account:
Commerzbank
IBAN: DE88 3704 0037 3333 3333 00
Note: air rescue
photos
Pictures of the flights between Florida and the Bahamas are available for download free of charge for editorial purposes:
www.flickr.com/photos/gartmannbiz/albums/72157710783402442
contact
Christian Gartmann, media officer
+41 79 355 78 78
christian@gartmann.biz