International aerial fleet contributes to humanitarian aid Venezuela
The Venezuelan air force has used its fleet of helicopters, including the Mil Mi-17, to deliver food, water and other supplies to reach isolated regions in the country where fixed-wing aircraft cannot land. (Mil)
The twin earthquakes affecting the coast of Venezuela on 24 June has prompted humanitarian assistance using aerial assets from governments throughout the Western Hemisphere and beyond.
US Marines flew Bell Boeing MV-22B Ospreys on 1 July to transport food and water to Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas, while US Navy ships have been deployed to the Caribbean to be closer to Venezuela.
Other aerial assets to support ongoing operations include Bell UH-1Y Venom helicopters, Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters, and the “legendary” Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130 aircraft, which is “proving indispensable during earthquake relief efforts,” including moving “massive payloads” of equipment and supplies, a US Southern Command social media post explained on 5 July.
Other states in the region are primarily deploying fixed-wing assets to transport humanitarian assistance and rescue personnel. The air forces of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru have all deployed C-130s.
Colombia was one of the earliest countries to send assistance to its neighbor: two C-130s flew to Maiquetía, La Guaira state, on 26 June, transporting 62 rescue workers, four search dogs, and 12 tons of search-and-rescue equipment, the Colombian air force explained at the time.
Meanwhile, the Ecuadorian air force utilised the same model of aircraft to transport supplies and evacuate Ecuadorian citizens.
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