Operation Amistad: India rushes Army medical contingent to quake-hit Venezuela

New Delhi: Responding to the devastating earthquake that struck northern Venezuela, the Indian Army has dispatched a specialised medical contingent comprising 41 personnel to assist in humanitarian relief efforts in the affected region aboard two Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft.

The Indian Army, in a press statement, said that the medical team from 60 Para Field Hospital departed this afternoon from Hindon Air Force Station and is currently en route to Venezuela.

The Army contingent, which has 41 personnel, includes nine medical officers and is equipped to provide emergency medical care, trauma management, life-saving surgical support, and other essential healthcare services to those affected by the earthquake.

The team is carrying approximately six tonnes of medical stores and humanitarian relief supplies provided by the Ministry of External Affairs. In addition, one of the two aircraft is transporting a BHISHM Cube (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita & Maitri) under India’s Aarogya Maitri Project.

The BHISHM Cube is an indigenously developed, rapidly deployable, modular medical facility designed specifically for disaster and humanitarian response.

Comprising compact, self-contained medical modules, it can be quickly assembled into a fully functional field hospital capable of delivering advanced trauma care, emergency surgeries, intensive care support, and essential medical treatment for up to 200 patients.

The BHISHM Cube is equipped with portable ventilators, patient monitors, diagnostic equipment, surgical instruments, power generation, and oxygen support systems. According to the Army, it significantly enhances India’s capability to provide swift and effective medical assistance during humanitarian crises anywhere in the world.

The Indian Army added, “The dispatch of the medical contingent under Operation Amistad reflects India’s enduring commitment to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and its readiness to extend timely support to friendly nations in times of crisis.”

The external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, in a post on X announced the departure of two C17 aircraft for Venezuela with “urgent assistance to support their post-earthquake relief efforts”. He added that India is committed to support the government and people of Venezuela. He also mentioned that the assistance contains an Indian Army Field Hospital Unit and over 35 tonnes of relief supplies, medicines and medical equipment, including two BHISHM Cubes.

As reported earlier, Venezuela was struck with two back-to-back earthquakes of a magnitude of 7.2 and 7.5, hitting only a minute apart on Wednesday.  The second earthquake was the strongest to hit Venezuela since 1900. About 600 people have been killed, 4,300 injured and many thousands are still missing. The death toll is expected to rise.

Thousands of families have been left homeless or are too afraid to stay in damaged buildings. Rescue operations are underway. In Caracas and the state of La Guairá, people have been heard calling for help from under the rubble, according to several local media reports and eyewitness accounts.