EXCEPTIONAL COVID VISITOR AT OSTEND AIRPORT

Ostend airport May & June 2021. Very rare military visitors in Belgium!

Unfortunately India is suffering under a new Covid 19 variant causing an increase of Covid cases.

Due to 300,000 new infections a day there is a shortage in oxygen supplies and medicines, and all healthcare systems are overwhelmed.

Also hospitals in major cities almost collapsing because of too many cases.

Therefore many countries decided to help India in this difficult period.

UK, US, Germany, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Romania, Portugal and Zweden are sending oxygen concentrators, ventilators and doses of antiviral medicines Remdesivir.

Also Belgium has given aid. 

With the help of Avia Partner at Ostend Airport shipments where easily loaded.

To make those flight possible in a short time frame there was diplomatic corporation with the Indian embassy in Brussels and an attache in Paris.

Several 'Boeing C-17A Globemaster III' from 81th Squadron of the Indian Air Force (assigned to the Western Air Command) visited Ostend airport for loading oxygen containers and medicines.

A lot of spotters (foreign and domestic) attended the arrivals and departures during the months May and June. 

I was able to catch five regs : CB8001 / CB8002 / CB8007 / CB8009 / CB8003.

In total No 81 Squadron operates 11 x C-17's. First one delivered in January 2013 and last one was delivered in August 2019.

This squadron is based at Hindon Air Force Station (AFS), Uttar Pradesh, Ghaziabad (near New Delhi), this relative young squadron is operational since 1th of September 2013. 

Hindon is amongst 9 airfields at the European Air Control (WAC).

Nickname of this Squadron = "Sky Lords".

Below some pictures taken at Ostend airport during their visit.

CB8001

CB8002

CB8007

CB8009

CB8003

related links : https://indianairforce.nic.in