Military rescue workers honoured for humanitarian mission in Turkey
VOV.VN - A military rescue team were honoured in Hanoi on February 24 recognising their contributions to a humanitarian mission in earthquake-hit Turkey recently.
The 76-strong search and rescue team of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), along with 35 tonnes of cargo, departed for Turkey on February 12 to assist the Middle Eastern country in its recovery efforts following the February 6 devastating earthquake.
Lieutenant General Nguyen Trong Binh, deputy chief of the General Staff of the VPA, said that from February 13 to 22 the team had searched 31 locations throughout Antakya, helping to discover 15 sites with victims trapped under the rubble, including two places with signs of survivors. They handed the sites over to the local rescue force in order to recover 28 bodies from the devastation.
During the mission, the Vietnamese rescuers co-ordinated efforts with the Bahraini and Mexican teams to find three sites with 10 bodies.
The rescue team also presented nearly 25 tonnes of relief aid, including packed rations, rice, milk, medical supplies, and many other essentials to Turkey in order to help with the aftermath of the earthquake.
Their humanitarian assistance activities are highly appreciated by the international community, as well as the Government and people of Turkey.
At the award ceremony, Colonel General Nguyen Tan Cuong, chief of the General Staff of the VPA, praised efforts of the rescue team in showing solidarity and accomplishing the international humanitarian mission despite enduring harsh weather conditions.
The VPA awarded the Certificate of Merit from the Minister of National Defence to 76 individuals who had outstanding achievements in performing their tasks.
The Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union presented certificates of merit to 22 individuals.
Eight collectives also received certificates of merit from the Vietnam Red Cross Society.
