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Notes to Editors

  • Chapman Freeborn is the largest air charter broker in the world with 36 offices in 20 countries
  • In June 2007, we were voted"Air Cargo Charter Broker of The Year" at the ACW World Air Cargo Awards in Munich
  • Chapman Freeborn was established in 1973
  • Annual group turnover is over $450m
  • The Chapman Freeborn group employs nearly 300 personnel
  • We specialise in moving urgent cargo, heavy and outsize pieces, high value commodities, dangerous goods and AOG parts
  • Many of the world’s major relief organisations, governments, NGOs and other aid providers use our expertise in transporting relief goods and organising personnel evacuations
  • We provide ACMI, wet, damp and dry leasing solutions for many of the world’s largest airlines
  • We also provide General Sales Agency (GSA), Station Management and Ground Handling Services
  • Our operations division, Paragon Global Flight Support provides 24 hour outsourced flight support
  • Chapman Freeborn is listed in the Sunday Times’ Top Track 250 of the biggest mid-market private companies in the UK

For further information on this story, or about the Chapman Freeborn Group, please contact Julie Black or Andy James on +44 (0)1293 572832

Chapman Freeborn air charter helps locate missing ship off Sumatra

20th July 2006

Chapman Freeborn Airchartering are renowned for finding innovative solutions to interesting problems and a recent air charter illustrates this perfectly.

Chapman Freeborn Help to Locate Missing Merchant Ship Off Sumatra

On 13th July, our Singapore office took a call from a maritime client asking if we could source a search and rescue aircraft immediately to assist in locating a missing merchant ship. The vessel had apparently gone missing from radar off the North West coast of Sumatra, Indonesia and all communication to the ship was lost causing the ship’s operator great concern.

CF Singapore’s Anton Lomakin worked with Hong Kong colleague Michael Roth and arranged a Hercules aircraft from Safair. Owing to the fading daylight in the search area, the client postponed the flight until the following morning.

At 0500am Singapore time on 14th July, the Hercules departed from Seletar, Singapore with two of the client’s representatives on board including one from the shipping company.

The necessary low-level reconnaissance flight meant that it was not possible for the aircraft to stay in contact with air traffic control at Banda Aceh via VHF so all communication between the aircraft and Safair operations was undertaken by satellite phone directly and backed up with the satellite-driven onboard messaging service which the aircraft is uniquely equipped with. CF’s Anton Lomakin was then able to keep the shipping company directly informed of the progress of the mission.

After around 10 hours of flying, the aircraft returned to Medan to refuel and again, as hopes were getting very slim, they decided to have a final push until dusk.Just as all were about to give up hope for another night, at 18:40LT on 14th July, the crew of the Hercules spotted the ship in the vast ocean.

All involved, but most especially the client, were delighted to locate it and relieved to learn that all thirty crew members were safe and well and that the apparent disappearance was actually attributable to a major power failure on board which had blighted all of the ship’s systems.

This is not the first time that Chapman Freeborn has provided assistance to the maritime world.We have transported major components such as replacement engines and rudders to other stricken vessels, we transport new yachts by air and earlier this year, we air dropped food supplies to a solo rower in the Pacific Ocean.

By air, by sea, by Chapman Freeborn�� happy sailing!

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