TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has transported a total of 10,000 N95 masks for Indonesians trapped in China due to the coronavirus outbreak. The masks were provided by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

“Garuda is committed to supporting the government in handling and minimizing the virus epidemic,” said the airline’s operational director, Tumpal M. Hutapea, in a written statement, Friday, January 31.

The masks were delivered from Jakarta by Garuda airplane with tail number GA 420 at 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday. The plane made a stop in Denpasar at 7:30 local time on the same day. The masks were then transported by flight GA 892 leaving for Beijing and arrived at 5 a.m. on Thursday.

Tumpal said his side was coordinating with the BNPB and Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry regarding the aid delivery, ensuring that the help came on time.

Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said the mask distribution would be executed by the local delivery service tapped by the Chinese authority. “Because it requires certain shipping services,” said Retno at Kempinski Hotel, Central Jakarta, Thursday, January 30.

During a press conference today, January 31, Minister Retno said that the government would send aircraft to evacuate Indonesians in Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus case first emerged, in less than 24 hours.

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA