Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi stated that 85 Indonesians affected by the Turkey earthquake will return to Indonesia aboard flag carrier Garuda Indonesia’s plane.

“The Garuda plane that will bring assistance to Turkey will return (to Indonesia) with two bodies (of Indonesian citizens who died) and 85 Indonesian citizens, who were affected and want to return to Indonesia,” the minister stated at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base here on Tuesday.

The minister explained that based on the latest data, four Indonesians had died in the earthquake. Two of the bodies have been buried in Turkey, while the other two will be buried in Indonesia as per their families’ request.

To this end, the Garuda Indonesia plane, which is scheduled to fly to Turkey and Syria on Tuesday to send logistics aid, will return to Indonesia by bringing the two dead victims and 85 affected Indonesians.

Moreover, Coordinating Minister for Human Development Muhadjir Effendy and Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Suharyanto, will depart for Turkey on Tuesday to conduct an assessment and hold a meeting with the local government.

“The coordinating minister and the BNPB head will also depart today accompanying the team, and they will conduct a meeting and assessment (on) what can be delivered, what can be aided again to the local government,” Marsudi explained.

At the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base on Tuesday, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) released the departure of four planes that brought Indonesia’s logistics aid, with a total weight of 140 tons, for Turkey and Syria earthquake victims.

Jokowi emphasized the need to conduct humanitarian diplomacy.

“Earlier, we have also sent the SAR (search and rescue) team and medical team and (provide) a field hospital, which are very helpful, plus the Hercules plane, which was very helpful in the initial evacuation of earthquake victims in Turkey and those in Syria,” he remarked.

Source: Antara News