IAF deploys carriers to airlift oxygen containers, medicines amid COVID situation

NEW DELHI: Amid unprecedented medical oxygen crisis in parts of the country, Indian Air Force (IAF) today swung into action by carrying out sorties from various parts of the country to airlift oxygen containers, cylinders and others to here.

Besides oxygen, essential medicines, equipment required for setting up and sustaining COVID hospitals and facilities in the fight against fresh surge in COVID-19 cases were airlifted.

IAF transport aircrafts and helicopters were pressed into service for carrying out the tasks. These include transport aircraft C-17, C-130J, IL-76, AN-32 and Avro. Chinook and Mi-17 helicopters are on standby.

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The tasks undertaken included airlift of doctors and nursing staff from Kochi, Mumbai, Vizag and Bangalore for various hospitals at Delhi.

The C-17 and IL-76 aircraft of IAF have started airlifting big empty oxygen tankers from their place of use to the filling stations across the country to speed up the distribution of much needed oxygen. In addition to this, the C-17 and IL-76 have transported large quantity of load comprising bio safety cabinets and autoclave machines for setting up of an additional COVID test facility at Leh.

During 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 brought back stranded Indian nationals from abroad.