Present at the send-off ceremony, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) and Deputy Minister of National Defence, lauded the spirit and determination of the officers and soldiers, saying the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence hoped that they will outstandingly fulfill the tasks.
The servicemen will study the scene and outline a rescue plan right after they reach there, scheduled for February 13 night, said Maj. Gen. Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Department of Search and Rescue and Deputy Chief of the Office of the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response, Search and Rescue, who was assigned as commander-in-chief of the VPA forces in humanitarian and relief operations in Turkey.
The same day, 35 tonnes of cargo were also transported to Noi Bai International Airport and then to Turkey to serve the rescue work.
Earlier, a 24-member team of the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security engaged in search and rescue efforts in the Turkish southeastern city of Adiyaman, which is among the localities bearing the brunt of the earthquake, after they arrived in Istanbul International Airport on February 10.
According to the ministry’s police department of fire prevention, fighting and rescue, due to difficulties in traveling and transporting 15 tonnes of equipment for the rescue work, they were divided into two groups to reach the site.
On February 11, they began working at the rubble of a building in Adiyaman where the local authorities said 15 people are trapped.
The enthusiasm and professionalism of the Vietnamese recue forces in Turkey have been highly valued by Turkey as well as other international rescue teams, said Colonel Nguyen Minh Khuong, head of the mission, adding that the team is using specialised equipment from Vietnam and others available in the host locality.
According to the officer, the forces have received the support from the Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey and volunteers in the country. However, they still have faced difficulties regarding the severe weather and language barrier.
This is the first time Vietnam has deployed search and rescue forces in coordination with other countries following a natural disaster./.
