Vietnam military has dispatched 76 soldiers to Turkey to aid with rescue efforts following deadly earthquakes in the Turkey-Syria region.
Deputy Minister of National Defense Nguyen Tan Cuong on Friday asked the Department of Rescue and Disaster Relief to cooperate with relevant entities to deploy the extra forces to Turkey for rescue missions.
The deployed soldiers included teams of military doctors, rescuers and search and rescue dog trainers. Vehicles, modern equipment and drugs were also mobilized.
The defense ministry also announced plans to support the Turkish people with 10 tons of food rations.
Checking equipment before departure (Photo: VNA)
Earlier on Thursday, 24 rescuers and medical workers from the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security flew to Turkey to help search for victims following the devastating earthquakes.
All the personnel are veteran rescuers with over 10 years of experience.
General To An Xo, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security, said this is the first time the Ministry has sent rescuers on an international mission so far from Vietnam.
Minister To Lam said the Ministry’s participation in the search and rescue effort reflects Vietnam’s commitment to be a responsible member of the international community.
Earthquakes struck the Turkey-Syria region early Monday morning, killing nearly 34,000 people in both countries, and rendering hundreds of thousands homeless. It was the biggest natural disaster to strike the region since 1999, when a similarly powerful quake killed more than 17,000 people in Turkey, Reuters reported.
Minh Hoa
