Turkish planes depart for Venezuela with search and rescue, aid teams

Turkish military aircraft carrying search and rescue teams, medical personnel and humanitarian aid departed from Istanbul for Venezuela on Friday after twin earthquakes killed at least 589 people.

Speaking before the departure of the two military transport aircraft from Istanbul Ataturk Airport, Istanbul Provincial Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) Director Haluk Ozener outlined Türkiye’s relief mission.

He said an A400M military transport aircraft was allocated after consultations with the Turkish General Staff, which also assigned a second similar aircraft to transport a 20-member Humanitarian Aid Brigade team to the region.

“We are ready to depart with a team including 37 AFAD search and rescue and humanitarian aid personnel from Istanbul, Izmir and Denizli; a six-member National Medical Rescue Team from the Health Ministry; a two-member humanitarian aid team from the Turkish Red Crescent; two search and rescue dogs; and two fully equipped search and rescue vehicles,” Ozener said.

He added that Turkish authorities, including the Foreign Ministry, National Defense Ministry, Health Ministry and the Presidency’s Directorate General of Security Affairs, coordinated preparations following the disaster.

“Our contact with the Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Embassy in Venezuela continues. Additional equipment and personnel support will be provided if needed,” he said.

Ozener said Türkiye has carried out humanitarian aid operations in 11 countries this year, including Gaza, Syria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, compared with 16 countries in 2025.

Citing global humanitarian aid reports, Ozener added that Türkiye has long been among the world’s leading providers of humanitarian assistance.

“Many of our civil society organizations and search and rescue teams are also ready and waiting for instructions,” he said. “We will activate them if there is any request.”

According to the US Geological Survey, magnitude 7.5 and 7.2 earthquakes struck Venezuela’s Yaracuy state 39 seconds apart on Wednesday.

Venezuelan government announced that at least 589 people were killed in the twin earthquakes, as search and rescue operations continued.

ANEWS wp:paragraph