IDF aid planes land in Nepal, rescue teams to begin searches, set up field hospital
In addition to 260 soldiers who will take part in the search and rescue effort, 95 tons of medical supplies will be used to set up a field hospital to treat those injured in the disaster.
By JPOST.COM STAFFIDF Humanitarian Mission Arrives in Nepal
Answering the need for Nepal's humanitarian aid, IDF jumbo jets laden with with emergency supplies landed in the disaster-stricken Himalayan state throughout the night and on Tuesday morning.According to an official statement from the army, 260 IDF personnel have arrived and will begin search and rescue efforts.Rescue helicopters have also joined the search and rescue efforts, Israel Radio reported Tuesday. The pair of helicopters will focus on finding approximately 50 unaccounted for Israeli tourists believed to be have been trapped while on a trek.In addition to the much needed injection of man-power, 95 tons of medical and logistical equipment also arrived with the airborne convoy, including critical material that will be used to set up field hospitals that are meant to begin treatment of the injured within 12 hours of the delegation's arrival.Apart from the IDF plane, which carried a Foreign Ministry team in addition to members of the IDF, an aircraft carrying a team from Magen David Adom also departed for Nepal on Sunday.On Saturday, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, devastated the Himalayan country, sparking its worst humanitarian crisis since a similar 1939 disaster and has claimed over 4,000 lives.Speaking on the unfolding crisis, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed grief and solidarity with those suffering in Nepal.“Israel feels the pain of the disaster that struck your country. The state of Israel will make available emergency, rescue and medical assistance. The first such team left already tonight. We will help look for those and treat the wounded. On behalf of the citizens of Israel, I send our condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded. The state of Israel and its citizens stand by your side in this moment,” Netanyahu said.Initially, some 250 unaccounted for Israelis, in addition to those visiting the capital of Kathmandu, were among those caught in the chaos that followed the earthquake. As part of the rescue effort, Israelis, including twenty-six Israeli babies and their surrogate Nepalese mothers were allowed to board the jumbo jets used by the IDF and Magen David Adom, which departed Nepal back to Israel on Tuesday.