ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his appreciation to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the deployment of an amphibious aircraft that has significantly aided in controlling wildfires across Trkiye.

According to Trend News Agency, President Erdogan voiced his gratitude in a speech following a Cabinet meeting. “I would like to express my deep gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. With the help of this aircraft, we were able to cope with the fires very effectively,” he stated. Erdogan also detailed the extensive resources being deployed to combat the fires, including 27 aircraft, 105 helicopters, and over 5,000 ground vehicles. He revealed that from August 15 to 19, 306 forest fires were registered, marking a 53 percent increase in forest fires in the country to a total of 5,540 this year.

The BE-200CS amphibious aircraft, sent by Azerbaijan on the instructions of President Aliyev, is part of a larger emergency response from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, showcasing strong bilateral cooperation in disaster management.