Vietnam Airlift Returns Rescue Team from Venezuela

On 23:30 UTC on 8 July, a special Vietnam Airlines Airbus A350 (flight VN68) departed Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport for Simón Bolívar Airport in Venezuela via Paris, to retrieve Vietnamese military and police personnel who had been deployed after the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on 24 June.

The outbound leg carried only the flight crew – six pilots, twelve cabin attendants, two engineers and four ground staff – together with roughly 40 tonnes of equipment, eight search‑and‑rescue dogs and other humanitarian supplies. The aircraft is scheduled to land back at Noi Bai on the night of 10 July, bringing home 124 soldiers and police officers who assisted in rescue, medical aid and distribution of relief supplies.

Venezuela honoured the Vietnamese team with “Hero of Venezuela” medals, and Vietnam pledged US$300,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance. This mission marks the third overseas humanitarian deployment by the Vietnamese armed forces.