RAF ready with rations

ZAGREB - Ascot 4922, the first British aid flight for Sarajevo, today touched down 200 miles from the besieged city as Canadian troops secured its airport. The RAF Hercules landed at Pleso airfield, near Zagreb, the Croatian capital, to lead Britain's contribution to the United Nations airlift into Sarajevo.

UN officials said the situation at Sarajevo airport remained too dangerous for the aircraft to move forward immediately with its advance party and 6,000 packs of 24-hour rations. However, the Hercules would proceed as soon as the green light was given by UN officials in Sarajevo.

The British flight will be the first organised by the UN into Sarajevo following the French initiative to open the airfield. It was planned to unload the Hercules and fill it with urgently needed food and medical supplies, radio equipment and flak jackets.

A fleet of white UN lorries stood by to ferry supplies from a warehouse nearby. A UN official said three more Hercules were expected from Britain shortly but only 10 missions a day carrying 200 tons of supplies would be possible because of handling problems at Sarajevo and the lack of runway space. It would be vital to move a further 200 to 300 tons by road.

The British Hercules is one of several specially adapted for special-forces operations. It was selected for the relief mission because of its manoeuvrability and full range of self-defence aids such as chaff, flares and infra-red jammers to confuse hostile weapons, which could be crucial if it has to run the gauntlet of Serbian fire.

Wing Commander Brian Warsap, who flew out to command the detachment, said the initial aim would be to set up an operations cell in Zagreb and to move liaison personnel and a cargo-handling team to Sarajevo. 'The major problem is going to be handling the cargo, because at the moment they are manhandling it, which takes a long time, and the longer you are on the ground, the greater is your exposure,' he said.