• A number of Pakistanis stuck in Turkey have been evacuated through Ilyushin-78. 
• Pakistanis express their gratitude for overall efforts of PAF.
• PAF’s missions are underway to help the earthquake affectees.

A number of Pakistani students and families stuck in flood-hit Turkey were evacuated and brought back to their homeland owing to the efforts of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

According to a spokesperson for the PAF, an IL-78 aircraft of the air force landed back on Monday at PAF Base, Nur Khan after a successful mission of providing humanitarian assistance to the earthquake-stricken people of Turkey.

“A number of Pakistani students and families stuck in the area were evacuated through the Ilyushin-78 and were brought back to the homeland safely,” the spokesperson added.

The Pakistani nationals expressed their gratitude for the overall efforts of the PAF in bringing them back to Pakistan and rescuing their fellow countrymen stranded in the natural calamity abroad.

Other such missions by the PAF, in coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are also in the queue to help the earthquake affectees, said the spokesperson.

A week after the major earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, the toll of dead rose to nearly 36,000 and looked set to keep increasing as hopes for finding any more survivors faded, according to media reports.

Pakistan sends more relief goods to Turkey

In line with Pakistan’s sincere efforts to help the people and government of the brotherly country facing widespread destruction caused by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, another plane of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying five tonnes of relief goods landed in Turkey on Sunday.

“The national flag carrier has so far transported around 72 tonnes of relief assistance besides airlifting a 51-member rescue team,” PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan said.

The PIA collectively operated six scheduled and two special chartered flights to Adana and Istanbul cities of Turkey and Damascus, the capital city of Syria, he added.

“The relief flights are being operated by Boeing-777 aircraft from Lahore and Islamabad,” he said, adding the PIA is actively participating in the relief activities on behalf of the government of Pakistan.