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Op Garron:  Interview with Flight Lieutenant Iain Buchanan, one of the first RAF C-17 pilots into Banda Aceh

Flight Lieutenant Iain Buchanan was one of the first British servicemen to bring vital aid and equipment to Banda Aceh, following the powerful tsunami that decimated South and East Asia on 26 December 2020.

He captained a C-17 Globemaster from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire to Abu Dhabi, before handing it on to a second crew. They ferried aid weighing 109,000 pounds into Banda Aceh, including the forklift truck used to help clear a stricken jet that temporarily closed the airport's only runway.

Soon after this he was responsible for taking another essential humanitarian flight into the devastated region, including five Land Rovers and 9 palettes of tents, blankets and plastic sheeting. This was closely followed by another aircraft loaded with food aid weighing 80,000 pounds.

He said: "It's hard to describe the devastation as you fly into Banda Aceh airport. Even though it was early in the morning, I could see there has been a great deal of damage and it looked like many areas were still submerged in water. There was debris strewn everywhere.

"The airport itself is very small and not designed to cope with large numbers of aircraft. Currently it is full to the gills, with what looks like a sea of helicopters and tents from above.

"Most of my squadron volunteered to be here and have been waiting for the call to deploy. I am delighted to be helping out and just would like to be able to do more to help the victims of this terrible event.

"However, what most people don't realise is the sheer scale of the operation facing us, it takes around eight hours to fly from RAF Brize Norton to Abu Dhabi and then it is another six and a half hour flight on to Banda Aceh.

"I've met people during my time in Abu Dhabi who have friends and relatives in the disaster areas and they are so grateful for our help. It's a very fulfilling job to do."

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