Malaysia Airlines Flies Malaysian Heroes For Lebanon Peacekeeping Mission

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airlines flight MH8496 departed Subang Air Base on Thursday, carrying the third batch of the Malaysian Battalion 850-8 (Malbatt 850-8) for a peacekeeping mission under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The group comprises 215 officers and peacekeepers led by Joint Force Commander, Lieutenant General (RMAF) Yazid bin Arshad. Malaysia Airlines Bhd’s group chief operations officer, Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi said the national carrier was honoured to fly officers and personnel from the Malaysian Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence to provide humanitarian assistance in Lebanon for the second year in a row. “Today’s flight is the third out of four missions, where we deploy our Airbus 330-200 aircraft, operated by three pilots and 10 cabin crew for each flight. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all our warriors who are carrying this critical mission despite the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said in a Malaysia Airlines statement. The next batch of Malbatt 850-8 is scheduled to travel to Lebanon on Nov 15, 2020. -- BERNAMA