Two Antonov-12 transport aircraft, belonging to the Soviet airline, Aeroflot, on Tuesday (June 15) began airlifting refugees from East Pakistan to a special resettlement camp set up in Central India, by the Indian Government. A third Soviet aircraft was due to join in the airlift operation on Wednesday (June 16).

The refugees, who have been living in squalid conditions in camps around the Calcutta area, were taken to Calcutta airport on special trucks for what was to be for many of them the first flight of their lives.

The Antonov, normally used for hauling cargo, can carry up to one hundred and 20 people. Of special concern were the monsoon weather conditions as the Indian authorities were hoping to make the first flight of these inexperienced travellers as comfortable as possible.

The first aircraft reported favourable conditions on landing near the Mana resettlement camp, and shortly afterwards the second AN-12 took off.

This film report of the refugee transference operation was shot by Visnews cameramen, Prem Prakash and Durgades Chatterji.