Project Giving Completed

Izmir Earthquake Response

Aviation Without Borders-USA’s board member Frank Franke just completed the latest airlift and delivery of relief supplies to assist the victims of the earthquake in Izmir.

Even as the media attention was diverted with the latest breaking news, Frank Franke led the relief effort in response to the devastating earthquake in Izmir, Turkey. Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen (LOG) has airlifted much-needed relief supplies to the metropolis on the west coast of Turkey. Included in the airlift was a donation from Siemens AG of 120,000 German made reusable COVID-19 masks, as well as other humanitarian relief items. This intervention was made possible thanks to the generous donations from the Turkish diaspora in Germany and major support from Stuttgart based entrepreneur Nejdet Niflioglu, who was born in Izmir.

On October 30, 2020, the western province of İzmir, Turkey was hit by a 6.6-7.0 earthquake that primarily damaged Izmir city.

The earthquake was followed by a tsunami that damaged coastal areas and towns of the province and was felt in provinces as far as Muğla and Manisa. It was followed by over 1,400 aftershocks with 43 of them being over 4.0 magnitude. 

AWB-USA’s sister agency Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen (LOG), strategically headquartered at Frankfurt Airport, strives to provide direct assistance to people in need around the world. Founded in 2003, LOG works together with major airlines, logistics firms, and a large number of renowned German and globally engaged companies. In its 17-year history, LOG has delivered over 6,000 tons of humanitarian aid, including food and much-needed pharmaceuticals supplies valued at more than €120 million to the most vulnerable populations on every continent. 


The areas of responsibility are the immediate care of at-risk children and families after natural and humanitarian disasters as well as the transport of medical emergencies from all over the world for medical treatment to Germany. In addition to its numerous global humanitarian interventions, LOG also endeavors to provide the means to further education through the establishment and support of computer schools in the most remote locations. Their credo: Education is the sustainable basis of young generations, who gain new perspectives and opportunities via electronic media and thus have access to the rest of the world.