Channel 4 News foreign affairs correspondent Jonathan Rugman today helped drag dehydrated and starving children stranded on Mount Sinjar on to an Iraqi army helicopter.
Rugman and his cameraman filmed desperate scenes as refugees from the Iraqi Yazidi community stranded on the mountain mobbed the helicopter.
Thousands have fled Islamic State insurgents seeking refuge in the exposed spot with no provisions and facing 33 degree heat.
He said in a report posted by Channel 4 News on Youtube: "These are dangerous helicopter missions and there are not enough of them…unless more aid flights take people off this mountain hundreds, if not thousands, will die."
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Writing on Twitter he said: "Unbelievable scenes on mt Sinjar. Saw small families trapped in middle of nowhere. Many of these people will die if not evacuated ASAP."
"At one point I found myself dragging dehydrated children to the back of the helicopter for safety. Very distressing scenes.
"Refugees mobbed our helicopter. One man was punched back. So desperate to get aboard after 10 days on mountain."
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My pic of Yazidis on mt Sinjar range waiting for food drop or helicopter rescue. Scenes like this for miles: pic.twitter.com/d6Pprc6Hf9
— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) August 11, 2014
The relief helicopter came under fire from what he said were Islamic State jihadists and his film footage shows a soldier returning fire.
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