Covid-19 Surge: Indian Air Force Transports Oxygen Containers, Cylinders And Essential Equipment Across India

Indian Air Force (IAF) has swung into action by carrying out sorties from various parts of the country to airlift oxygen containers, cylinders, essential medicines, equipment required for setting up and sustaining COVID hospitals and facilities in the fight against fresh surge in COVID-19 cases.

The IAF Transport aircraft and helicopters have been pressed into service for carrying out these tasks. These include transport aircraft C-17, C-130J, IL-76, An-32 and Avro.

“Chinook and Mi-17 helicopters are on standby. Tasks undertaken include airlift of doctors and nursing staff from Kochi, Mumbai, Vizag and Bangalore for various hospitals at Delhi,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

In addition to this, the C-17 and IL-76 have transported large quantities of load comprising bio safety cabinets and autoclave machines for setting up of an additional COVID test facility at Leh. The ministry said that IAF transport and helicopter assets are on standby to be deployed at short notice.

It may be recalled that in the initial days of COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, the IAF ran several sorties to deliver medicines, medical and other essential supplies required to combat the coronavirus pandemic as well as bring back stranded Indian nationals from abroad.