Copter offered to Taiwan civilian: Official

(Chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-08-18 15:36

The Russian-made Mi-26 helicopter, which the mainland is ready to lend to Taiwan in post-Typhoon Morakot, is owned by a civil aviation company rather than the military, a senior official said, the website of China News Service reported Tuesday.

Speaking at Beijing Capital International Airport where the mainland transported 43 tons of disaster-relief materials to aid the island today morning, Wang Yi, head of director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that they have already contacted China Flying Special Aviation Company and the helicopter “is ready to go at any time”.

The helicopter, currently the world's biggest which can lift 20 tons of goods, was aslo used in the relief work of last year's Wenchuan earthquake.

Typhoon Morakot killed 127 caused more than 300 missing in Taiwan as of Monday noon. The mainland, Hong Kong and Macao has donated hundreds of millions of yuan in aid.