Two ships of the Spanish Navy have sailed to Turkey to carry out disaster relief operations

Spain is sending its Juan Calos-class amphibious assault ship (LHD) and another naval vessel to Turkey with equipment and personnel to assist in humanitarian and relief efforts as massive earthquakes hit the southeastern region of the NATO country, leaving thousands dead and thousands injured.

Spain’s Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that the ships had already sailed to Turkey.

The ships of the Spanish Navy “Juan Carlos I” with 500 marines on board, and “Galicia” with relief materials, have been sailing since yesterday, heading to Turkey, to the area affected by the earthquake, in order to assist in the rescue. The ministry said in a statement on Twitter.

Juan Carlos I is a multi-purpose amphibious assault ship of the Spanish Navy, supporting the mobility of the Marine Corps, transporting ground forces and military vehicles as well as participating in humanitarian missions.

The ship has a flight deck 202 meters (663 ft) high, with a ski jumping ramp. The ship’s flight deck has eight landing spots for Harriers of F-35 Lightning II or medium helicopters, and four landing spots for CH-47 Chinook or V-22 Osprey heavy helicopters.

The ship has a full hospital capacity and can play a significant role in disaster relief operations.

Separately, the ministry also said that the Spanish government had airlifted search and rescue personnel and that the plane carrying them had landed at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey’s southern Adana province.

Our military is ready to go ahead and help with search and rescue missions for people in #TürkiyeEarthquake. Good message!

The Spanish Foreign Ministry has informed that Spain will deploy a field hospital in southeastern Turkey. “It has two surgical units, a large variety of equipment and a team of health workers including 70 doctors. It is one of the three units in #EU #SpainwithTürkiye,” the ministry wrote in a statement on Twitter.

Spain is just one of many countries that sent search and rescue teams as well as humanitarian aid and equipment to Turkey after deadly earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş province affected 10 cities in the region, as well as neighboring Syria.

At least 3,549 people have been killed and 22,168 injured in 10 provinces after the two powerful quakes, and more than 8,000 people have been rescued so far, according to official figures.