Air Serv has positioned an aircraft in Mozambique, where it will support relief efforts following a devastating period of successive storms.

On 18 May, an Air Serv Cessna Grand Caravan departed Entebbe International airport carrying a crew of five. The aircraft will be based in Pemba, Mozambique and will serve destinations within the region, supporting ongoing efforts to feed, house and treat those who were displaced from their homes during a catastrophic storm season.

On 14 March, Cyclone Idai made landfall near the city of Beira in Mozambique, while a second, Cyclone Kenneth, arrived in Mozambique on 24 April. With sustained winds of up to 130 mph, it became one of the strongest cyclones to ever hit the African continent. The storms left a wake of destruction, hundreds dead and nearly two million people affected or displaced in the countries of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, with Mozambique sustaining the highest losses.

Following the storms, search and recovery efforts commenced immediately. Because of the nature of destruction however, which resulted largely from floodwaters, roads and runways were washed out or inaccessible. Primary recovery vehicles were limited to boats and helicopters until the floodwaters receded and debris could be cleared. The Air Serv plane will be among the first wave of fixed-wing aircraft positioning to respond. This programme is currently scheduled to run for three weeks, with a possibility of extension as needed.