Did China Eastern Airlines bring stranded compatriots from Caribbean island countries back to Shanghai?

Flying 34,000 kilometers over 19 countries, China Eastern Airlines picked up 381 stranded compatriots from Caribbean island countries.

At about 9 pm yesterday (October 1), China Eastern Airlines flight MU299 (aircraft number 8971) successfully landed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport; about 45 minutes later, flight MU599 (aircraft number 8972) also landed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Arrive at Hongqiao Airport. The two planes spent two days and two nights flying over 19 countries and a round trip of 34,000 kilometers, which is close to the distance of circling the earth, to pick up 381 Chinese citizens trapped by hurricane disasters from Caribbean island countries. One plane carried 220 passengers and the second one had 161 passengers.

“Thank you to the motherland for remembering us and taking us home!”

“Thank you to the motherland for remembering us and taking us home!” This may be the words of the compatriots affected by the disaster who returned home this time. The most popular sentence is that the five-star red flag is the most beautiful scenery in their eyes. After the first chartered flight came to a stop, the first passenger who walked down the boarding stairs carried a five-star red flag, and another passenger behind him held a simple sign that read "China and Turkey employees thank the motherland." .

"China Civil Engineering" refers to China Civil Engineering (Group) Co., Ltd. Duan Chenggang, an employee of its Dominica project department, recalled that on September 18, local time, Category 5 hurricane "Irma" ravaged the Caribbean Sea, the island country of Dominica was severely damaged, the whole country was paralyzed, water, power and communications were cut off. The supplies that China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation workers worked hard to dig out from the rubble were only enough to last for two days at most and had to be moved. Duan Chenggang and his translator Tang Min walked for six hours from the construction site in the mountainous area to the Chinese Embassy in the city. They reported to the embassy, ??which was also anxiously collecting information on the disaster among Chinese compatriots. The embassy made an immediate decision and contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to arrange for the evacuation of the trapped compatriots.

From September 22 to September 25, Chinese compatriots in the disaster-stricken area of ??Dominica, including employees of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, evacuated from Dominica to neighboring Antigua and Brazil by boat in batches. In Buda, the local embassy and Chinese-funded enterprises made every effort to arrange food and accommodation. Soon, the compatriots in the disaster area received the news that the motherland would send a chartered flight to take them home.

Sun Yiyang, just two years old, is one of the youngest charter passengers. Her father, Sun Haojie, is a staff member of the Chinese-funded enterprise Xintian International’s agricultural cooperation project in Dominica. Little Yiyang was born in Dominica, and this is the first time the child has the opportunity to go home and visit. Sun Haojie said: "I have worked in Dominica for 11 years and have never seen such a big hurricane. I would like to thank the motherland and civil aviation for always remembering us and helping us get home."

Do it within 24 hours All pre-departure preparations

In the impression of Liu Yanjie, the flight attendant of Flight 8971, this is the most urgent emergency mission she has undertaken over the years. She was notified at noon on September 29 that By the time the crew departed from China Eastern Airlines' cabin department at around 6 p.m., the total time was only five or six hours, which was even shorter than the preparation time when China Eastern Airlines chartered a flight to Malta to participate in the largest evacuation operation from Libya in the history of my country's civil aviation.

After receiving the transfer task on the evening of September 28, China Eastern Airlines completed emergency preparations in less than 24 hours. At around 10:00 and 11:00 on September 29, China Eastern Airlines dispatched two aircraft, *** 64 crew members and support personnel flew from Pudong Airport to the rescue site.

The flight routes of the two planes are: Shanghai Pudong - Madrid, Spain (technical stop) - Will Bird Airport in Antigua and Barbuda (pick up stranded compatriots) - Madrid, Spain ( Technical stop) - Shanghai Hongqiao (originally scheduled to land in Pudong, but temporarily changed to Hongqiao due to thunderstorms). The total one-way flight time is nearly 24 hours, so the two planes took two days and two nights from Shanghai to return to Shanghai. It is really "a million miles to bring compatriots back to China", especially during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays. The motherland's concern for the trapped compatriots has not only brought tears to the eyes of many trapped compatriots, but also made the countrymen proud.

Creating many firsts for China Eastern Airlines and even China’s civil aviation

“Even if we cannot fly to any corner of the world, as long as our compatriots are in trouble, we will fly to any corner of the world. We will pick you up at the corner and take you back to China," said Guo Wanqing, the captain of China Eastern Airlines' 8971 crew who took the lead in setting off and served as the "pioneer" for the second plane, and who is also the captain responsible for the charter flight. This rescue mission has created many firsts for China Eastern Airlines and even China’s civil aviation: it is the first time a China Eastern Airlines flight has flown across the Atlantic route, the destination airport is the first time a Chinese flight has landed, and the flight distance is the longest and longest ever rescue flight. It was a long emergency flight mission, flying over 19 countries and involving takeoff and landing permissions and approvals from 3 countries. This is something China Eastern Airlines has never had before.

“So many firsts will certainly pose many challenges to the flight. The crew only has 12 hours from receiving the mission to flying. They have to complete all crew preparations, flight information collection, route confirmation, and alternate landing. Time is really tight for tasks such as airport confirmation and weather conditions." Guo Wanqing said that fortunately, China Eastern Airlines had experience in many emergency rescue missions and had a complete set of emergency plan procedures, and the whole process was orderly.

The passenger planes 8971 and 8972 dispatched by China Eastern Airlines this time are the latest batch of Airbus A330s, which are called by flying friends as having the "best cabin". These two aircraft are equipped with China Eastern Airlines’ latest generation and most comfortable cabin equipment.

In the cabin, the flight attendants prepared drinking water, eight-treasure porridge, and slippers in front of the seats as early as the departure, so that the compatriots could have a good rest as soon as they got on the plane; the "I Love You China" that echoed in the cabin was even more exciting. It brought a strong National Day holiday atmosphere.

The motherland will never forget its children, the great mother of the motherland!