Recently, a video showing a helicopter with the Red Cross logo delivering a roasted whole lamb to a group of people dining has gone viral on the internet. The video sparked debate as some netizens expressed skepticism, with comments such as, “Whether it’s true or not, I won’t donate a penny again.”
In the video, several individuals were dining outdoors when one of them pointed towards a helicopter about to land. Another person quickly got up, approached the helicopter, and retrieved a large plate of roasted whole lamb from it. The video quickly gained attention and discussion among netizens.
On May 30, the official account of the Chinese Red Cross responded to the video of the “Red Cross helicopter delivering roasted whole lamb.” According to clues provided by many netizens, it was confirmed that the helicopter in the video was a private aircraft purchased by “Yage Outdoor – Yage” and the fuel used for delivering the roasted whole lamb was purchased by themselves. “Yage” had previously piloted the helicopter for Red Cross rescue drills, hence the Red Cross logo on the aircraft. However, it was clarified that the logo should not have been displayed while carrying out non-Red Cross missions. “Yage” has been educated on this matter.
The Red Cross clarification did not fully alleviate netizens’ doubts about corruption within the organization. Discussions with tags like “Red Cross responds to helicopter delivering roasted whole lamb video” and “Red Cross dispels rumors, the roasted lamb incident was carried out by a temporary worker” further fueled online debates.
Commenting on the situation, internet tech blogger and Weibo influencer “Xiaoyao Liu Jie” stated, “Instead of constantly explaining and debunking rumors, we should reflect on the underlying reasons that caused this.”
Zhenghua, the Executive Director of Beijing Di Law Firm, commented, “That’s the point. Can’t we just speak the truth for a few words? If there is no courage, why boast and share videos? The Red Cross may need to conduct an internal investigation.”
User “-Hanjiang Xue-” remarked, “Whether it’s true or not, I won’t donate a penny again.”
User “Autumn Ze Classmate-” added, “I have been following Yage for many years. Ultimately, this topic reflects the general distrust towards government functional departments, especially towards the Red Cross. The Guo Meimei incident from a few years ago completely shattered everyone’s trust in this organization.”