Indonesian Air Force delivers 27 tons of aid to earthquake victims in NTT

Jakarta, Indonesia – The Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) has dispatched two Hercules aircraft carrying the first phase of government aid, totaling 27.09 tons, to communities affected by a recent earthquake in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT).

The vital supplies were airlifted from Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase in Jakarta to Komodo International Airport. The C-130J Super Hercules aircraft transported 14,000 kilograms, while a C-130 Hercules carried an additional 13,090 kilograms of essential goods. The TNI AU also deployed a Boeing 737-800 aircraft to transport personnel assisting in the disaster response efforts.

Air transport was prioritized to expedite the delivery of logistics to the affected population. The capacity of the Hercules aircraft allows for the transport of thousands of aid packages in a single flight. The readiness of these flights was personally overseen by the Commander of Air Transport Group 1, Marsma TNI I Gusti Putu Setia Darma, who emphasized flight safety to the crews.

The earthquake, registering a magnitude of 7.7 and centered in Nagakeo Regency, NTT, has tragically claimed at least 47 lives as of Saturday evening. Temporary data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) indicates fatalities distributed across several regencies, including Manggarai (24 deaths), Manggarai Timur (17 deaths), Sikka (3 deaths), Ngada (1 death), and Ende (1 death). The disaster also caused significant damage, with 157 houses reported destroyed, 41 with moderate damage, and 148 with minor damage, alongside damage to educational, religious, and public facilities.