The Air Force Emergency Wing helps Venezuela respond to the earthquake and obtain aid

The US Air Force’s Emergency Response Wing was sent to Venezuela to assist authorities following powerful earthquakes that devastated the country nearly two weeks ago.

Airmen with the 621st Emergency Response Wing are supporting Venezuelan authorities with airfield operations to land C-17 aircraft providing essential earthquake relief, according to a social media post Wednesday.

US Southern Command announced the day after the quakes that the United States would send C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft, along with C-130 Hercules aircraft, the amphibious transport ship USS Fort Lauderdale, and the littoral combat ship USS Billings.

On June 24, two devastating earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela within seconds of each other. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said in a speech that the death toll had risen to 3,811 as of Wednesday, and 16,740 people had been injured.

State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott confirmed Tuesday on Fox News that nine Americans were among the dead.

Piggott said the United States has pledged about $350 million to response efforts in Venezuela so far.

The 621st Emergency Response Wing deployed the emergency response element of the 321st Emergency Response Squadron to Simón Bolívar International Airport, according to a July 3 release.

The CRE team, made up of 110 pilots, is working with local aviation authorities, the Venezuelan Interim Authority and the US Interagency Response Team to expand humanitarian assistance through airlift, according to the statement.

The Emergency Response Airport Assessment Team was the first on the ground to assess the structural integrity of the airport and the bearing capacity of the runway to verify its ability to safely land heavy cargo.

The remaining CRE units then arrived to establish airport operations to support Venezuela’s air traffic control, airport management and cargo handling.

“By stepping in to help manage tower and ground operations, Airmen are eliminating logistical bottlenecks,” the statement said. “This critical infrastructure support ensures that critical supplies, heavy equipment and relief personnel reach the front lines of the disaster area as quickly and safely as possible.”

The 621st CRW, known as the “Devil Raiders,” is stationed at both Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst, New Jersey, and Travis Air Force Base, California. The 621st is quickly dispatched to open air bases, coordinate air mobility operations, assist partner nations and enable joint interoperability.

The wing also provided support following the earthquake in Haiti and supported relief efforts following floods in Pakistan, both in 2010. Then in 2017, the wing assisted in the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria across the southern United States and the Caribbean.

Christina Stasi is a reporter covering stories surrounding the defense industry, national security, military/veterans affairs, and more. She previously served as an editorial fellow at Defense News in 2024 where she assisted the newsroom with breaking news across Sightline Media Group.

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