DFDS has been praised for helping transport a truckload of Jersey aid donations bound for earthquake-hit Venezuela free of charge.
A video shared by Venezuelan Islander Mariano Antonio Ferreira Correia documents the journey to deliver the donations from Jersey to London, where they will begin the next stage of their journey to his home country.
The footage follows Mr Correia travelling by ferry before making a two-hour drive to the capital to deliver the supplies to Lonbox Express, which will transport them onwards to Venezuela.
Mr Correia thanked DFDS for covering the cost of transporting the donations from Jersey to Portsmouth, as well as driver Claudia Alves, whom he described as the “star” of the day.
Speaking to Express, he said: “My understanding is that the most critical supplies go by air, while the rest go by sea.
“Lonbox Express ships to two organisations in Venezuela that handle distribution.”
The aid appeal was launched after the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday 24 June.
The twin quakes, measuring 7.1 and 7.5 in magnitude, hit as many Venezuelans were celebrating a national holiday, with more than 3,800 people reported to have died.
Among those killed was Mr Correia’s 36-year-old brother, Javier, who had previously lived in Jersey and worked at La Petite Baguette café.
Despite grieving his brother’s death, Mr Correia organised a community appeal for essential supplies and set up a GoFundMe page, which has nearly reached its €5,000 fundraising target.
He announced at the end of last week that collections of physical donations had now closed, but is continuing his fundraising efforts by organising a second-hand sale in St Peter on 12 July.
