Continuing its rescue and relief mission for earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, India sent its seventh flight to these countries carrying more than 35 tons of relief material as part of ‘Operation Dost.’
The latest flight reached Syria on Sunday with over 23 tons of relief material which was received by Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment Moutaz Douaji at Damascus airport.
"7th #OperationDost flight reached Syria with over 23 tons of relief material, including gensets, solar lamps, emergency and critical care medicines, & disaster relief consumables. Received at Damascus airport by Deputy Minister of Local Administration and Environment Moutaz Douaji," tweeted Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
The flight departed on Saturday for earthquake-hit Syria and Turkey. The Indian Air Force C17 carrying relief material, medical aid, emergency and critical care medicines, medical equipment and consumables took off from Hindon Airbase in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad.
The aircraft with relief materials, medical aid, and emergency and critical care medicines first landed in Syria and unload materials and then head to Turkey. Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar also took to his Twitter handle to talk about the flight departing from Ghaziabad.
He tweeted, "The 7th #OperationDost flight departs for Syria and Turkiye. Flight is carrying relief material, medical aid, emergency and critical care medicines, medical equipment and consumables."
The Indian Army also tweeted, "An #IAF C-17 aircraft got airborne last night for #Syria and #Turkiye, bearing relief material and emergency equipment."
The Ministry of External Affairs said the earthquake relief material and equipment were sent to Syria and Turkey. The flight is headed to Damascus and after offloading relief material there, it will head to Adana.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the flight is carrying more than 35 tons of relief material, of which over 23 tons is headed for relief efforts in Syria, and around 12 tons to Turkey.
The assistance being sent for Syria comprises relief materials, sleeping mats, gensets, solar lamps, tarpaulins, blankets, emergency and critical care medicines, and disaster relief consumables.
The material for Turkey consists of team supplies for the Army field hospital and NDRF, medical equipment such as ECG, patient monitor, anaesthesia machine, syringe pumps, glucometer, blankets and other relief materials.
A 99-member team from the Indian Army has established a 30-bed field hospital at Iskenderun in the Hatay province of Turkey that has already treated hundreds of people.
The team at the field hospital includes medical and critical care specialists and surgeons. It is equipped with an operation theatre, X-ray machines and ventilators.
