AFAD and İHAKUT sign protocol to strengthen disaster response in Van, Turkey

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and the volunteer aviation club İHAKUT signed a cooperation protocol in Van Province. The ceremony was attended by AFAD provincial director Mehmet Ulutaş, İHAKUT president Zafer Yılmaz, general coordinator Okay Narlı and other officials.

The agreement aims to double the speed of disaster response in the seismically active region by linking AFAD’s expertise with İHAKUT’s volunteer search‑and‑rescue teams. It covers joint coordination in emergencies, aerial imaging, training exercises, humanitarian aid and the development of volunteer activities, with regular drills planned for the coming year. Van is designated as a pilot province for extending the model to other eastern Anatolian provinces.