- Title: SWITZERLAND: BIAFRAN WOUNDED FLOWN IN FOR TREATMENT IN EUROPEAN HOSPITALS.
- Date: 19th February 1969
- Summary: AIRCRAFT AT AIRPORT; AMBULANCES ARRIVING; WOUNDED HELPED FROM AIRCRAFT AND INTO AMBULANCES. Initials GL/VS/AS/SC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 6th March 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Reuters ID: LVA6ZK127XCAMN5XLBMC55Z0P5CI
- Story Text: AN INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS AIRCRAFT ARRIVED IN ZURICH AIRPORT TODAY (19 FEBRUARY) BRINGING FORTY-SEVEN SERIOUSLY WOUNDED BIAFRANS, 37 OF THEM SOLDIERS, FOR TREATMENT IN EUROPEAN HOSPITALS.
MANY HAD LOST LIMBS OR HAD SUFFERED FACIAL INJURIES, AND WILL RECEIVE ORTHOPAEDIC TREATMENT OR PLASTIC SURGERY IN HOSPITALS IN SWITZERLAND, ITALY, FRANCE, DENMARK AND NORWAY.
THE INJURED BIAFRANS HAD BEEN FLOWN OUT BY NIGHT FROM ULI AIRSTRIP IN BIAFRA BY THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS.
DR. SJOUKE BAKKER, A DUTCH DOCTOR WHO ACCOMPANIED THE WOUNDED BIAFRANS FROM ULI, SAID IN DAHOMEY YESTERDAY (18 FEBRUARY) THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 50 OTHER SERIOUSLY INJURED PATIENTS WAITING TO BE FLOWN OUT OF BIAFRA AS SOON AS EUROPEAN HOSPITALS ARE ABLE TO TAKE THEM.
DR. BAKKER SAID THAT FEDERAL NIGERIAN PLANES OFTEN BOMBED HOSPITALS IN BIAFRA AND DOCTORS THERE WERE OVERWHELMED WITH WORK. DURING THE RAIDS, PATIENTS WERE CARED FOR IN MAKESHIFT SHELTERS, HE TOLD REPORTERS.
(THE BIAFRANS WERE FLOWN OUT TO COTONOU AIRPORT IN DAHOMEY, FROM OVER 250 TONS OF FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES HAVE BEEN FLOWN INTO BIAFRA SINCE FEBRUARY 1. THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS BEGAN FLIGHTS FROM DAHOMEY WHEN THE EQUATORIAL GUINEA GOVERNMENT IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS ON FLIGHTS FROM THE ISLAND OF FERNANDO PO. FLIGHTS FROM THE ISLAND WERE RESUMED ON FEBRUARY 12).
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