Earthquake in Venezuela: Airborne assistance

A devastating earthquake has struck Venezuela. The magnitude of the tremors recorded on Wednesday evening, June 24, 2026, was 7.2 and 7.5. The regions most affected are La Guaira on the Caribbean coast and the capital Caracas. The Venezuelan government has declared a national emergency and requested international assistance. Initial reports indicate at least 235 fatalities and over 4,300 injuries. The number of missing persons could reach into the thousands.

First aid deliveries from Germany

In response to the disaster, the Bundeswehr has promptly initiated relief measures. A first transport aircraft of the type A400M took off from the Wunstorf Air Force Base on Thursday at 11:09 AM. On board were 26 personnel from the Technical Relief Agency (THW) as well as 8.7 tons of equipment for locating and recovering. The THW members are bringing field beds, tents, and generators, among other items. Colonel Markus Knoll, commander of Air Transport Wing 62, commented on the rapid preparations: “Within 24 hours, we managed, in cooperation with the aid organizations, to plan, load, and deliver initial assistance to the crisis area within another 14 hours.”

International support and further deployments

In total, the Bundeswehr is making up to six A400M aircraft available for earthquake relief. In addition to the transport planes, a rescue aircraft for medical evacuations is also being deployed. The aircraft require approximately 13 hours of pure flight time for the distance of over 8,200 km. Air Transport Wing 62 already has experience with aid missions, including in Turkey and the Gaza Strip.

The international community has also reacted swiftly. Rescue teams from various countries, including Chile, Mexico, Brazil, and Switzerland, have already arrived in Venezuela. These teams are bringing additional personnel and relief supplies to support the search for survivors.

www.bundeswehr.de

–