An Icelandair pilot used his plane Sunday to thank healthcare workers battling the coronavirus pandemic in Reykjavík, Iceland.
While transporting medical supplies from Shanghai, China, to Iceland’s capital city, the anonymous pilot came up with a unique idea to let medical personnel know they were not forgotten, according to Simple Flying.
“The aircraft flew up through China, Mongolia, Russia, Finland, Sweden, and Norway, before starting its descent over Iceland at 17:45,” the article read.
Twenty-five minutes later, the plane halted its descent into Reykjavík and flew over the city at 2,500 feet while drawing a heart shape in the sky.
Sunday on Twitter, Flightradar24 shared a photo of the unique flight path.
The change in course reportedly added another nine minutes to the flight, but it was a much appreciated gesture, according to Fox News.
Following the unique salute, Icelandair shared a video on Twitter of the workers who loaded the plane with over 1,000 boxes of medical supplies bound for the island nation.
“Most of our fleet stays on the ground, but in past weeks we’ve flown home many passengers, and transported medical equipment to Iceland,” the airline tweeted April 8.
“Thanks to our staff who don’t stay home, so that you can get home. Please stay home & stay safe,” the post continued.
As of Tuesday, Iceland had 1,778 confirmed cases of the virus and ten deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
“The effects of the pandemic are serious, but there are ways to navigate through this situation and come out on the other side, more united and stronger. There will come a time when we can again enjoy the world as we know it,” Icelandair’s website read.
“Iceland is a place that has space for everyone and where the nature is as unique as the people. Today in Iceland we are uniting our efforts to overcome this crisis, and when you are ready to travel again, we will be ready to welcome you back. We miss you in Iceland,” the site concluded.