The British government has sent a rescue team to Indonesia to help victims of the magnitude-7.8 earthquake that hit West Sumatra on Wednesday at 17.16 local time.

According to a press release from the UK Embassy in Jakarta, a team of UK search and rescue experts is being sent to Indonesia by the Department for International Development (DFID) to help survivors of the earthquake.

The team would be carried in a flight chartered by the UK government, and leave London`s Gatwick airport for Padang at approximately 1:30am on Friday Oct 2 (Jakarta time).

The plane will also be carrying specialist rescue equipment, some UK firefighters trained in emergency search and rescue techniques who will work with the Indonesian government to help in life saving and recovery efforts.
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