More personnel arrive to support Xizang relief efforts

A second group of 29 civil aviation support personnel arrived at Dingri Airport in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, on Thursday afternoon to assist relief operations following the mudslide disaster in Gyirong county, according to the regional government.

The team, dispatched by Xizang Airport Group and the regional air traffic control center, specialize in security checks, aircraft security, cargo handling, driving of special vehicles, supervision of loading and unloading, medical services, firefighting, communications and meteorological observation. Airport support vehicles have also been sent to Dingri and Shigatse Heping airports. Dingri Airport is the closest airport to Gyirong and using there can shorten transit time of supplies to the disaster-hit area by more than five hours compared with Heping Airport in Shigatse.

Following the disaster, the regional civil aviation administration activated an emergency response mechanism and coordinated flight capacity, with Lhasa and Dingri airports serving as key transfer hubs for rescue personnel and supplies.

So far, 37 support personnel have been dispatched. Airports in Xizang have handled seven emergency rescue flights, 31.8 metric tons of relief supplies and transported more than 300 rescue and relief personnel.