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Two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft of the Strategic Airlift Capability operating from the Papa Air Base in Hungary and a C-27J Spartan aircraft of the Romanian Air Force performed emergency aerial missions on Thursday and Friday from the Otopeni and Timisoara airports to an air base in the Bordeaux area in France for the transport of teams of Romanian firefighters and rescuers together with related equipment.
According to the Romanian Defence Ministry (MApN), it is about 77 firefighters and 17 means of response that will act in support of the response forces of France to contain raging wildfires in France, Agerpres.
The C-17 Globemaster III aircraft took off from Otopeni Airport on Thursday, around 22:00hrs, EEST, and from the Timisoara Airport on Friday around 17:00hrs, EEST, while the C-27J Spartan aircraft took off on Friday morning from the Otopeni Airport, stopped over in Timisoara where it took off at around 10:00hrs for France.
The two flights with the C-17 Globemaster III aircraft was requested by the Ministry of National Defence as part of the quota of flight hours allocated to Romania, as a member state of the Strategic Airlift Capability, MApN says.
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Following the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, Romania's Emergency Management Department (DSU), through the General Emergency Management Inspectorate (IGSU), in its capacity as the national contact point, received from the Emergency Response Coordination Centre of the European Commission (ERCC), through CECIS, a request from France for international assistance, given the emergency generated by the spread of wildfires on its soil.
The decision to send the IGSU forces to France was taken within the National Emergency Management Committee convened on Thursday by Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca at the proposal of DSU and after consulting with President Klaus Iohannis.
