The departure of Spanish military aid for those affected by the earthquakes in Turkey

After the earthquakes that have left thousands dead in Syria and Turkey, this Monday a Spanish expedition set out to help those affected.

Earthquakes in Syria and Turkey: this is how you can send help for those affected

The expedition is made up of 56 members of the Military Emergency Unit (UME), as well as 35 civilians from the Special Emergency and Immediate Response Unit (ERICAM) of the Community from Madrid. Both teams left yesterday from the Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base, in Madrid, aboard an Airbus A330 of the 45th Air Forces Group (T.24-02, 452-02), which transported part of the personnel and made a stopover at the Morón Air Base to pick up more UME personnel, and an Airbus A400 Atlas from 31 Wing (T.23-12, 31-32), which transported the rest of the personnel and most of the material they will use in their rescue efforts. You can see below some photos of the start taken by Rubén Somonte and published by the Ministry Defense.

The UME personnel who have left for Turkey, saying goodbye to their colleagues in Torrejón.

Members of the UME (left) and ERICAM (right) before takeoff.

The A330 that has carried part of the personnel. It is one of the three A330s that the Air Force has acquired and that will be converted to the A330 MRTT version.

EMU personnel in front of the Air Force A330 that has transported most of the personnel to Turkey.

The A330 preparing for takeoff. The Spanish relief expedition was scheduled to land at the Adana airport, in the affected area, but they finally had to go to the Antalya airport, in southwestern Turkey.

The takeoff of the Air Force A330 in Torrejón de Ardoz.

Personnel from the Spanish Air Force and ERICAM preparing to load the material of the aid unit of the Community of Madrid on board an A400M.

The Madrid Community Fire Department truck that has transported the ERICAM material to the Torrejón Air Base. In the background we see the A400M in which this material has been transported.

The loading of the ERICAM material in the A400M, already at dusk.

Another image of the A400M that has transported part of the aid personnel and their material.

Two images of the boarding of ERICAM personnel boarding the A400M in Torrejón de Ardoz.

Spain is one of the 44 countries that have sent aid teams to Turkey after yesterday's earthquakes. I wish all the members of this expedition a good mission.