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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have waved off a British Airways jumbo filled with UNICEF aid bound for East Africa.

British Airways donated the aircraft to the UNICEF appeal, which is being backed by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to help the 13 million victims of the East African crisis.

In their first joint humanitarian mission, the royal couple toured the British Airways’ relief plane, a Boeing 747, at Copenhagen airport today (Wednesday, November 2) following their visit to UNICEF’s warehouse in Denmark’s capital.

The British Airways aircraft departed Copenhagen International Airport en route for Nairobi laden with 45 tonnes of UNICEF aid including life saving emergency medical supplies to help children affected by diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea.

Keith Williams, British Airways’ CEO, said: “We immediately agreed to donate an aircraft to help UNICEF get their aid to East Africa. The team at British Airways has launched a number of these flights in recent years to crisis-hit areas such as Haiti and Japan so we’re well practised in getting the aircraft and team out as soon as possible. We need to help keep a focus on the crisis in East Africa so this is our second relief flight to the region. We’re delighted the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were able to see the flight off.”

UNICEF UK’s Executive Director, David Bull, commented: “We know that when children are malnourished their immune systems are weakened and they become very susceptible to life threatening diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea. We need to help these children urgently.  The supplies being packed on this plane will help UNICEF to save these children’s lives. On behalf of everyone at UNICEF I want to extend my huge thanks to all at British Airways who have helped make this happen.”

To donate to UNICEF’s East Africa appeal please visit: www.eastafricacrisis.org.