Turkey sends medical equipment to Britain amid coronavirus pandemic

Turkey, which has witnessed the fastest rise of coronavirus cases has now sent emergency equipment to the UK. This comes as Britain, which is struggling with a shortage of ventilators, has reported 73, 758 positive cases and 3,758 deaths as of April 11. Meanwhile, there are over 47,029 positive cases across Turkish territory. 

Early on April 11, a military cargo plane carrying protective gears like surgical masks, industrial maks and hazmat suits took off from an airbase near the country's capital Ankara. According to reports, a second plane will depart for the United Kingdom on April 12. Amid the ongoing pandemic, Turkey has previously sent help to other European nations- Italy, Spain and five Balkan nations including Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina amongst others. 

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'Hope in Despair' 

The Turkish defence ministry has yet not revealed the quantity of help sent, however, photographs that have emerged online show items packed in multiple crates with words of Rumi, a 13th-century poet, "There is hope after despair and many suns after darkness." Meanwhile, the ministry took to Twitter to confirm the delivery of aid. "Turkish Armed Forces aircraft will transport to (the) United Kingdom the medical aid supplies...to be used in the fight against COVID-19,' the Turkish Defence Ministry tweeted.

Following the delivery, Dominic Rabb, UK's Minister of Foreign Affairs, has thanked Turkey for the support. Also, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has written a personal letter to Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan thanking him for the support. 

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