During the first week following the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, EATC conducted 26 missions with French, German, Spanish and BNU* A400Ms, Italian C-130s and French A330s. They transported rescue teams, supplies and humanitarian aid to Incirlik airbase (Türkiye), as well as the Belgian 6000 m2 field hospital with the complete medical personnel. The Netherlands requested EATC to plan and monitor the pre-positioning of a Dutch C-130 in aeromedical evacuation configuration to Türkiye, including further supporting missions. The C-130 is evacuating, under Dutch authority, patients and their families to various hospitals in Türkiye.
Major-General Andreas Schick, Commander EATC, underlines that “our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones. EATC is currently planning another 50 missions for the next two weeks and we continue to be ready 24/7 to support our member nations in their efforts to assist the regions hit by the earthquakes.”
* Belgium-Luxembourg Binational Unit