The Boeing 747, made available at short notice, will carry aid workers and much-needed items such as tents, clothing, blankets, plastic sheeting and medicine. The effort has been coordinated by temple communities across the UK.

BA is one of the biggest employers of people from the sub-continent, and the flight will be staffed by volunteer crew members, including pilot and Captain Minesh Patel, whose family members are missing in the disaster area. Others on the flight include members of temples traveling to the region to help with relief work.

British airways staff have also contributed to the mission, and the airline has donated £150,000 (US $220,000) towards the relief effort. Geoff Want, BA's general manager, operations, said: "This is a human tragedy which has touched the hearts of our staff and there was a tremendous will to do whatever we could to help.

"We are one of Britain's biggest employers for the Asian community and many of them have been personally touched by these dreadful events. But there has been a superb effort by all our staff from across the airline to offer every aid and assistance."

- nriol.com report (courtesy: Ram Narayanan, On-Line Resource for Indian-Americans)

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