IAF sends drinking water to Maldives

The drinking water was flown to Maldives on the request made by the island nation’s government to India.

India sent drinking water to Maldives after water was cut off to more than 100,000 residents in the capital Male because of a fire in the city's water treatment plant. The Indian Air Force dispatched five planeloads of drinking water, which will be followed by another five on Saturday.

The Indian Air Force operated an IL-76 aircraft from Thiruvananthapuram international airport to Maldives on Friday afternoon to provide drinking water to the people of the island nation.

Confirming the movement, a top official of the Airports Authority of India told The Hindu that the aircraft left the international airport around 1 p.m. The drinking water was flown to the island nation on the request made by the Maldivian government to India.

Following this, the Centre asked the Defence Ministry to provide assistance. The Ministry in turn directed the IAF to ship the drinking water in IL-76 aircraft to Maldives. The amount of drinking water shipped was not known.

Airport sources said another IL-76 aircraft movement is likely later in the day from here to the island nation. The sudden movement of IAF aircraft to Maldives created panic among the people and the security agencies.