Military rescuers commended for search and rescue operations in quake-hit Turkey
The Ministry of National Defence held a ceremony in Hanoi on February 24 to commend officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) who had participated in humanitarian relief and search and rescue operations in Turkey following the devastating earthquake on February 6.
Members of the VPA team presented with the certificate of merit of the Defence Minister (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of National Defence held a ceremony inHanoi on February 24 to commend officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People’sArmy (VPA) who had participated in humanitarian relief and search and rescue operations in Turkey following the devastating earthquake on February 6.
The VPA sent a 76-member team to Turkey, who were assigned to work in Hatay province, one of the localities hardest hit by the quake. During the deployment period from February 13-22, the VPA team performed search in 31 locations and located 15 points withvictims, including two with signs of survivors. As a result, 28 bodiesof victims had been brought out of the debris.
At the same time, the team coordinated with their peersfrom Bahrain and Mexico to discover three locations in which 10 victims wereburied, while helping three households to find stable shelters. Militarydoctors of the team provided medical checks and treatment to seven patientsfrom the rescue team of other countries and one local person. They also presentednearly 25 tonnes of goods, including military rations, rice, milk, medicalequipment, and many other necessities to earthquake victims.
The VPA team’s activities were appreciated by TurkishPresident Tayyip Erdogan, and leaders of Hatay province and relevant agencies in the host country.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong,Chief of the General Staff of the VPA and Deputy Minister of National Defence,commended the officers and soldiers for making great efforts and wellcoordinating with their peers from Turkey and other countries to effectivelyconduct search and rescue and humanitarian relief activities, despite harsh weather conditions and difficulties in daily activities.
Members of the VPA team presented with the certificate of merit of the Defence Minister (Photo: VNA)
Their actions demonstrate the high sense of responsibility,capacity and prestige of the VPA in the face of non-traditional securityissues, which have earned recognition and appreciation by the international community, theGovernment and people of Turkey, he said.
Turkish Ambassador Haldun Tekneci expressed his gratitudefor Vietnam – one of the first countries sending their rescuers to his country after the devastating disaster.
This noble action reflects Vietnam's commitment tocarrying out its global humanitarian mission, and also shows the very goodrelationship that Turkey and Vietnam have pursued for many years, he stressed.
Leader of the Vietnam Red Cross Society grants certificate of merit to eight collectives (Photo: VNA)
At the event, 76 individuals of the VPA team were presented withthe certificate of merit of the Defence Minister./.
By the command from the heart, the rescue team of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA), sent to Hatay province – one of the Turkish locality most affected by the February 6 earthquake, has successfully completed its mission, Maj. Gen. Pham Van Ty has said.
The search and rescue team of the Vietnam People’s Army has concluded their working trip to Turkey to join recovery efforts in the earthquake-hit nation and returned home.
It has been two weeks since the devastating earthquake on February 6, and there have yet to be reports of Vietnamese casualties in Turkey, Vietnamese Ambassador to Turkey Do Son Hai said on February 22.
The 76-member search and rescue team of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) safely arrived in Hanoi from Turkey on February 23, completing their mission in the earthquake-hit nation.
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Members of the VPA team presented with the certificate of merit of the Defence Minister (Photo: VNA) 
Members of the VPA team presented with the certificate of merit of the Defence Minister (Photo: VNA) 
Leader of the Vietnam Red Cross Society grants certificate of merit to eight collectives (Photo: VNA) 
