US Air Force flights that have been scheduled to go away for India with important life-saving provides have been delayed until Wednesday as a result of upkeep points, the Pentagon stated right here on Monday.
We simply acquired phrase from USTRANSCOM that the flights for India are “delayed until at least Wednesday due to maintenance issues”, a Pentagon spokesperson stated.
So far, solely two US Air Force flights have landed in India.
Three US Air Force C-5 Super Galaxies and one C-17 Globemaster have been scheduled to go away for India Monday to ship important provides amid a surge in coronavirus instances there.
Officials, nevertheless, didn’t say how this is able to influence the emergency assist provides to India, particularly life-saving oxygen cylinders and concentrators.
Earlier within the day, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby advised reporters that the US will proceed to fly its planes with well being care provides for India, which has confronted one of many worst outbreaks of COVID-19 on the planet.
Three US Air Force C-5 Super Galaxies and one C-17 Globemaster are persevering with to ship important healthcare provides to India, which is experiencing one of many worst outbreaks of COVID-19, the Pentagon stated.
“We continue to assist the government and the people of India as they continue to struggle with their COVID outbreak,” Kirby stated.
US Transportation Command and its elements proceed to exhibit their functionality to offer speedy help to a companion nation, he stated.
The United States will proceed to evaluate the scenario, he stated.
“We’ll stay in touch with our counterparts in India, should there be a need for additional help. The (defense) secretary was very clear in speaking to his counterpart in India that we’ll continue to do whatever we can to help,” Kirby stated.
Meanwhile, Senator Amy Klobuchar stated the tragic disaster in India is a reminder that “we can only beat COVID-19 if we beat it everywhere”.
The United States, she stated “is stepping up and providing relief and aid to our ally in this time of tremendous and heart-breaking need”.
Congressman Alan Lowenthal stated the Biden Administration has taken early constructive steps however the scale of the tragedy in India is just insufferable.
“We must do more to facilitate access to vaccines. We have a duty to save lives and to reduce the risk of terrifying new variants,” he stated.
“The COVID crisis in India is heartbreaking and could have huge implications for the rest of the world. The fight against this pandemic is a global one and we must do our part to help combat this surge and save lives,” Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton stated in a tweet.
“India is in crisis. President Biden’s decision to send supplies and vaccine doses to India is a necessary one. But we must also eliminate vaccine patents and work to expand vaccine production and availability globally. We must work to save lives everywhere,” Congresswoman Cori Bush tweeted.