A QATAR Airways Boeing 777 cargo plane carrying vital medical equipment from China landed at Shannon Airport on Thursday afternoon (April 2). The plane touched down at Shannon at 4.25pm.

Among the medical equipment on board were ICU ventilators and hospital beds for distribution to hospitals around Ireland in the fight against COVID-19.

Qatar Airways is one of the world’s largest cargo operators and has an extensive network of more than 160 destinations using both freighters and passenger flights. The airline resumed flights to China on 30th March to support the global supply chain, which includes the transportation of urgent medical relief aid essential to the global fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Commenting on the flight Mary Considine, CEO Shannon Group, which operates Shannon Airport said: “We were delighted to facilitate the arrival of this much welcomed consignment of medical supplies. As an essential service our airport remains open to facilitate cargo and repatriation flights at this unprecedented time.”