The military planes sent by Spain to help Morocco after the earthquake

@DefAviation ES 9·10·2023 · 21:04 0

On the night of Friday, September 8 to Saturday, September 9, a strong earthquake shook the Moroccan region of the High Atlas, near Marrakech.

The moving messages of gratitude from Turkish citizens to the Spanish soldiers
Spanish soldiers of the UME manage to save two children and their mother in Turkey

This earthquake, the strongest that this country has suffered in many years and which has left some Dantesque images, has already left more than 2,100 dead, a terrible figure that will surely increase as the work of clearing debris from the fallen buildings progresses, and also because there are more than 1,400 injured in critical condition.

Spain has come to the aid of this neighboring country by sending two military planes transporting emergency personnel. One of them has left the Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base, in Madrid. This is one of the new Airbus A330 MRTT of the Air Force, operated by the 45th Air Force Group. This type of aircraft can transport up to 380 people or 130 stretchers in a medical evacuation.

This plane has transported a team from the Special Emergency and Immediate Response Unit (ERICAM) of the Community of Madrid, made up of 30 people and 4 search dogs.

This ERICAM team includes personnel from the Madrid Community Fire Brigade, the Emergency Medical Service (SUMMA 112), the Spanish Dog Rescue and Detection School and the Municipal Volunteer Group of Civil Protection of the Las Rozas de Madrid City Council. ERICAM was already sent to Turkey to help the victims of the earthquake that devastated that country in February. Its personnel played a very prominent role in the rescue efforts.

Likewise, an Airbus A400M Atlas of the 31st Wing took off this morning from the Zaragoza Air Base bound for Marrakech. This plane, the T.23-10 (31-30), has transported 56 soldiers and 4 dogs from the Military Emergency Unit (UME).

The area assigned to this UME team is Tala N'Yaaqoub, a town with more than 7,000 inhabitants located 25 km from the epicenter and 100 km south of Marrakech. This afternoon, a Moroccan media outlet showed images of that area, with buildings reduced to rubble. The Relief and Rescue Unit of the Corps of Engineers of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces is already working on rescue work in that town, as you can see in the following photo.

I wish these Spanish civilians and soldiers in Morocco a good mission. Let us not forget that in the face of misfortunes like this, religion or nationality does not matter, what matters is saving human lives. With this relief mission, Spain does one of the most valuable things a Nation can do: help those who have suffered a terrible catastrophe. I hope they achieve their purpose and save many lives.

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Photos: Ministerio de Defensa de España / Unidad Militar de Emergencias / 112 Comunidad de Madrid / MEDI1TV.