On the morning of 11 September, a military CASA C‑295 (tail number 8901) landed at Gia Lâm Airport in Hanoi carrying 13,563 sealed samples of martyrs’ remains collected from three southern provinces. The cargo comprised 5,287 samples from Tây Ninh, 4,651 from Đồng Nai and 3,625 from Lâm Đồng, all packed in 144 specially‑designed crates marked with the national flag. The operation, the second "special flight of love" coordinated by the Air Force, the 7th Military Region and provincial authorities, is part of the armed forces’ 500‑day campaign to identify unknown martyrs.
Major General Nguyễn Huy Tuấn, Deputy Party Secretary of the Air Force, said the mission reflects deep gratitude toward the heroes and that scientific analysis will soon restore their names. The Air Force meticulously calculated the aircraft’s load, used custom brackets and straps to secure the crates, and prepared for adverse weather to ensure safe transport.
Upon landing at 10:10, ground crews swiftly unloaded the containers. Samples destined for Lâm Đồng will be taken to the Military Medical Forensic Institute, while the remaining 9,938 specimens from Đồng Nai and Tây Ninh will be handed to the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology for DNA testing. The effort follows a previous successful flight on 21 August that moved 7,104 remains from Ho Chi Minh City to the same destination.
The DNA examinations aim to match the remains with archival records, allowing families to finally learn the identities of their lost relatives and honor the sacrifices made for the nation’s independence and freedom.