The team of the Vietnam People’s Army searches a location in Hatay province of Turkey. Photo: VNA

On behalf of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hakan Cakil expressed his thanks to search and rescue teams of countries, including those from the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), for their effort in Hatay province following the devastating earthquake.

Meeting the VPA’s search and rescue team, Ambassador Cakil once again thanked them and the Vietnamese Government for providing necessities for Turkey.

He said medicines, medical equipment as well as other equipment sent by Vietnam are extremely important to the Turkish people at this time.

Cakil said he is moved by the Vietnamese soldiers’ sentiment when knowing that they withdrew part of their salary to support the Turkish people.

Turkey always wishes to develop relations with Vietnam in all aspects, he said, adding that the practical support of the Vietnamese team when Turkey is in difficulties is also one of the driving forces to cultivate bilateral ties.

He hoped that in the near future, Vietnam and Turkey will see new progress in their ties in various areas.

Maj. Gen. Pham Van Ty, Deputy Chief of the Office of the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response, Search and Rescue and Deputy Director of the VPA's Department of Search and Rescue, expressed his hope that the Turkish Government and people will soon overcome the current difficult period.

Ty, who is also head of the VPA’s team, also believed that ties between Vietnam and Turkey, as well as sentiment between the two peoples will elevate to a greater height on the basis of mutual understanding.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Major General Pham Van Ty, deputy chief of the Office of the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response, Search and Rescue and deputy director of the Department of Search and Rescue under the Vietnam People’s Army, Photo: Ministry of Defense

President of Turkey Tayyip Erdogan has thanked Vietnamese forces for their timely support and tireless efforts in search and rescue operations during his February 20 field trip to Antakya, the capital of Hatay province, one of the localities hardest hit by the natural disaster.

Erdogan noted his gratitude to foreign countries for their emergency aid and dispatch of search and rescue forces to Turkey, stressing that the earthquake has revealed the importance of international solidarity and Turkey will forever keep in mind the friendship.

The rescue team of the VPA, sent to Hatay, has successfully completed its mission, Maj. Gen. Pham Van Ty has said.

The head of the team, who is Deputy Chief of the Office of the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response, Search and Rescue and Deputy Director of the VPA's Department of Search and Rescue, said that this is the first time the Ministry of National Defence and the VPA have sent personnel and equipment aboard to participate in humanitarian assistance and respond to the earthquake disaster.

However, team members all underwent training and drills and handled some cases on a small scale at home, so they have effectively applied their experience in carrying out rescue work in Turkey, stated Ty.

The team’s use of sniffer dogs, visual and audio observation radar and a wall-penetrating radar system has produced good results, he said, adding that local and international rescue teams and host people have also appreciated the effective command, and implementation of tasks of the Vietnamese team.

Vietnam will apply experience drawn from this search and rescue operation to training and exercises in the country to improve the command and administration organisation of commanders and improve the capacity of rescuers, he added.

Representatives of the Vietnamese rescue force and the National Coordinating Agency of the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) at the handover ceremony. Photo: VNA

Previous, on February 21, the rescue force has handed over nearly 25 tonnes of goods including dried food, rice, milk, medical equipment and other necessities to Turkey at Hatay Stadium in Antakya, the capital of Hatay province.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tremors rocked Turkey and Syria on February 6, killing more than 46,000 people, mostly Turkish people.

The Ministry of Public Security decided to dispatch a 24-member contingent of police officers to Turkey to assist with rescue work there. The contingent of police officers accomplished the mission and returned to Hanoi on February 19.

The Ministry of National Defence later also decided to send 76 soldiers and officers to support recue work in Turkey. The rescue force is scheduled to return to Hanoi on February 23.

In addition, aside from the rescue forces from Vietnam, Vietnamese people living in Turkey have also joined hands in the search for earthquake victims in the Middle Eastern country over the past few days.

Luu Thai Hung (third from left) and other members of the VPA team at a site in Hatay province of Turkey. Photo: VNA

Luu Thai Hung, living in Istanbul – about 1,000km from the earthquake’s epicenter, studied in Turkey and has resided in the country for many years.

Leaving aside his job as a director of VT Travel Plus – the first and also only tourism company run by a Vietnamese in Turkey, he assisted the team of the VPA in performing their tasks in Hatay province.

Right then the VPA team arrived to help with search and rescue work, he felt both moved and proud, and immediately decided to join the team and served as an interpreter to help them fulfill their duties.

He said that he and other volunteers gained strong support from colleagues in his company.

One thing that left a strong impression on him was the Turkish people’s sentiment and gratitude toward the VPA team. They were warmly welcomed by locals in every place they came, and many residents shared food and water with the team even though the Turkish people themselves were still struggling with difficulties, he said.

Hung added that he and other Vietnamese in Turkey are always ready to help the Vietnamese task force perform tasks in the most effective manner.

Vietnamese Expats Show Supports For Turkish People The Vietnamese community in Turkey has raised its humanitarian spirit and called for donations to help local people overcome difficulties caused by the devastating earthquake ...

Vietnam Assists Emergency Earthquake Response Efforts in Turkey, Syria Vietnam will provide emergency aids to Syria and Turkey and will have more necessary support measures in the near future.

Vietnam Joins Int'l Community to Addresss Consequences of Turkey-Syria Earthquakes Vietnamese ambassador attends commemoration of earthquake victims in New York, USA.