Sixth 'Operation Dost' flight reaches quake-hit Turkey

The sixth plane from India carrying rescue personnel, relief materials and medical equipment for earthquake relief efforts have reached Turkey on Thursday.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar in his tweet said that more search and rescue teams are ready for deployment.

He also tweeted the pictures of the field hospital in Turkey where medical experts are preparing to treat emergencies.

On Wednesday, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi had said that the field hospital under 'Operation Dost' has been set up at Iskenderum, Hatay province in Turkiye by the Indian Army.

The first C-17 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force, carrying a group of search and rescue personnel, specially trained dog squads, drilling machines, relief materials and medicines landed in Adana in the quake-hit country on Tuesday.

The Army's medical team was sent in two aircraft.

Turkish ambassador Firat Sunel appreciated India's assistance for sending relief materials as well.

India on Monday decided to dispatch search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), medical teams and relief material to Turkiye following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's instructions to offer all possible assistance to the country.

Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan has visited the Syrian embassy and extended condolences to Ambassador Bassam-Al-Khatib over the incident.

Several countries, including the US and the UK, has stepped up in sending relief materials and search and rescue specialists to Turkey.

The death toll in quake-hit Turkey has crossed 15,000 so far. Search and rescue operations are on-going in the country.