Turkey Earthquake: The government holds a crucial meeting to discuss humanitarian aid, and Indigo provides free cargo transportation
India is getting ready to deliver relief to Turkey, which has been devastated by an earthquake. On Tuesday, the government called an urgent conference with Indian airlines that fly to Turkey.
IndiGo Airlines, which just started offering Boeing 777 wide-body jet services to Istanbul, offers to transport cargo without charging a fee on its scheduled flights.
"The Indian aviation authority met with Indian airlines over the operation of commercial scheduled flights carrying cargo to Turkey.
According to ANI, IndiGo has provided free cargo transportation on its regularly scheduled commercial flights using Boeing 777 aircraft to Istanbul.
IndiGo has stated that "The Indian carrier colony is with Turkey in the crisis and we are ready to give free cargo movement for humanitarian relief" in a statement expressing Indian airline solidarity for Turkey.
Other ministries also came to the meeting. There is still no word on the issue's resolution.
According to Tuesday's statement from S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, the first Indian Air Force aircraft arrived in Adana earlier. India has given Turkey emergency relief supplies and a rescue crew to help in the country's search and rescue operations.
Early this morning, the C17 flight headed for Turkey with more than 50 members of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), a specially trained dog squad, and the tools needed for the relief activities, including medical supplies, drilling machines, and other equipment.
Tweeted the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi: "NDRF's special search and rescue teams, along with trained dog squads, recently arrived in Turkiye with the first shipment of earthquake relief supplies. We appreciate your solidarity and assistance, India."
On Monday, many earthquakes occurred in Turkey. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake that occurred early on Monday morning between Turkey and Syria claimed the lives of over 5,000 people, injured tens of thousands more, and left more homeless.