Four Domestic Airlines to Transport Medical Supplies, Personnel to Aceh: Transport Ministry
Jakarta. Four domestic airlines have agreed to provide cargo and passenger jets to transport supplies and medical personnel to Aceh, after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the region in the early hours of Wednesday (07/12), the Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, said on Thursday.
Lion Air, Indonesia's largest budget airline, will deploy an Airbus 330 or Boeing B737 to assist in the humanitarian mission, while rival Sriwijaya Air will also deploy one Being 737, Transport Ministry spokesman, Bambang S. Ervan said.
Air Asia Indonesia's Airbus A320 is ready to be deployed, while chartered passenger and cargo airline TriMG has also offered its B737 cargo for the mission.
"The transport ministry will stand ready to help coordinate and transport medicine and medical personnel as well as provide other support," Budi said.
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Pidie Jaya region in Aceh claiming at least 94 lives.
The Indonesian Military, or TNI, have deployed 740 soldiers to locate and evacuate victims, but authorities say that the region still lacks medical staff, health equipment, medicine and instant food.
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