China Sends Four IL-76 Aircraft to Nepal for Quake Relief

China launched rescue operations immediately following Saturday's 8.1-magnitude earthquake in Nepal. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force sent four Ilyushin IL-76 transport aircraft to transport rescuer aid to Nepal, a spokesperson said on Monday.

Two IL-76 aircraft were dispatched to Nepal from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) on Monday morning, and one IL-76 was placed at Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG), with the fourth placed in Nanjing in the eastern province of Jiangsu, to transport PLA rescuers and logistics to neighboring Nepal.

A team of 55 PLA soldiers left for Nepal on Monday aboard the plane from Kunming. Another team of 45 soldiers are scheduled to leave for Nepal on Tuesday.

Previously, two medical teams have been sent to the quake-stricken Nepal, including psychiatric specialists, pharmacists and experts in bone treatment, to conduct rescue operations, provide medical aid and offer psychological counseling in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital.

The Ilyushin IL-76 transport aircraft is a multi-purpose four-engine aircraft widely used in Europe, Asia and Africa. It is commonly used in transport, for airborne refueling or as a command center.