17 Dec 2004

US air force to go ahead with Christmas air drop

9:03 am on 17 December 2004

Reports from Guam say the US military is going ahead with a drop of Christmas presents over the Pacific region, despite a recent typhoon.

The Pacific Daily News says the operation is the longest-running organised air drop in the world and is the largest charity effort for the Pacific region.

The Andersen Air Force Base Technical Sergeant Jeff Capenos says the mission will fly from Yokota Air Base in Japan.

Gifts from last year's drop reached scores of islands in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.

The four-day mission dropped more than a tonne of toys, sporting goods, canned goods, rice, fishing equipment, toiletries and clothes.

Officials in Palau say they're surprised the drop will go ahead so soon after a typhoon.