June 29 update: SOUTHCOM support for Venezuela earthquake relief

At the direction of U.S. Southern Command, U.S. military capabilities continue arriving in Venezuela to support ongoing U.S. earthquake relief efforts requested by the Venezuelan government and led by the State Department.

Six U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft are scheduled to arrive in country today carrying a U.S. Marine Combat Logistics Company from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., bringing heavy equipment and engineering assets, water purification capabilities, and more. Additional C-17s and C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft continue transporting personnel and equipment to support the mission.

A Contingency Response Element of approximately 100 airmen with airfield management expertise, along with a U.S. military Airfield Assessment Team, is assisting the Venezuelan government, local aviation authorities, and the U.S. interagency response team with safely expanding the flow of inbound and outbound air traffic at key airports near the epicenter.

U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys are performing multiple flight missions between a Netherlands-hosted logistics hub in Curaçao and affected areas of Venezuela, transporting key personnel and resources, and moving personnel and resources within the nation to support ongoing relief efforts. The Port of La Guaira is now operational, and the USS Fort Lauderdale is using the port to deliver critically needed supplies and equipment.

U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom helicopters are supporting aerial assessments of areas impacted by the earthquakes and transporting U.S. State Department personnel leading the U.S. disaster relief mission.

U.S. Army CH-47 Chinooks and air crews from Joint Task Force-Bravo out of Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, are on the ground providing airlift support assistance, with additional personnel, resources, and aircraft scheduled to arrive over the next 48 hours.

The U.S. Space Force, through its SOUTHCOM component, continues providing satellite imagery of impacted communities and damaged infrastructure to help disaster relief planners assess where immediate life-saving and aid efforts are needed most and prioritize requests for disaster response capabilities.

Planning of additional U.S. military support is ongoing in close coordination with the State Department, the Venezuelan government, and other partners and Allies contributing to the international relief effort, with further updates to be announced once confirmed. Updated information will be posted on SOUTHCOM’s official social media accounts.