Flores Island to be supplied in coming days, says Regional Director for Transport
The Regional Director for Transport announced today that the island of Flores will be supplied with goods still this week, through means provided by the Armed Forces.
Speaking to journalists, Pedro Silva stated that the Regional Government has been in contact with the Armed Forces, "which have already made available the C-295 [aircraft] with a transport capacity of five tonnes of goods." According to him, "it will depart from Terceira to Flores during this week, Thursday or Friday, for the quick delivery of perishable goods, thus ensuring their quality."
The Regional Director also revealed that a Navy ship is already stationed on the island of Terceira, which "is currently organising the logistics to transport, within its 25-tonne transport capacity," the essential goods for Flores.
"We are identifying the essential goods for this island so that, within this capacity, it can make the travel arrangements," Pedro Silva said, adding that the Armed Forces are still "available to make more trips, if necessary, within their capacity."
According to the Regional Director "these are the additional means that have been mobilised, even though they have these capacity limitations."
In turn, the vessel "Malena," initially scheduled to arrive Friday, January 10, will arrive "by late Thursday" as "it has managed, in the course of its journey, to anticipate its arrival by a few hours." Hence, "everything is ready to start the entire cargo operation as soon as it arrives: collect the cargo and transport it to the island of Flores," said the government official.
Pedro Silva noted that "this increased transport capacity and with a vessel better suited to the conditions of our sea will enable us "to restore supply under normal conditions."
The Regional Director recalled that the transport operation to the Western Group carried out by local traffic vessels has not taken place since December 13 “due to the conditions of the sea."
"The weather conditions have prevented local traffic operations, which had been carried out to that date, and, accordingly, the situation has been duly monitored. "SATA Air Açores has also been transporting food supplies within its cargo capacity," said the government official.
Pedro Silva stressed that the entry of the vessel "Malena" into operation will also ensure the transport of animals "in containers suitable for the transport of livestock." As he added, "already on this first trip, it will transport empty containers to be loaded and later exported."