Pope Francis delivers medical supplies in visit to remote jungle town

Pope Francis meets with the faithful of the diocese of Vanimo at the esplanade in front of the Holy Cross Cathedral in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea, September 8, 2024. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

VANIMO, Papua New Guinea (Reuters) - Pope Francis flew deep into the jungle of the Southwestern Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea on Sunday to visit Catholics living in one of the most remote areas of the world and deliver medical supplies and other aid.

Travelling 1,000 km (620 miles) in a C-130 cargo aircraft provided by the Royal Australian Air Force, Francis arrived with a small entourage in Vanimo, a township of some 12,000 people in the northwestern corner of PNG's main island, with no running water and scarce electricity.