People walk on destroyed buildings in the Antakia historical city in Hatay on Feb 11, 2023, after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the country's south-east. (PHOTO / AFP)
HONG KONG – A Hong Kong Special Administrative Region search and rescue team went to the quake-stricken areas in Türkiye and successfully found three survivors on Feb 11.
During a search and rescue operation in Hatay, the team successfully rescued three survivors trapped under about six meters of debris. The team then moved them to an ambulance, according to an HKSAR government statement on Sunday.
The HKSAR government said it will fully support the team and ensure they complete the mission smoothly
"We are very excited and encouraged to be able to find three survivors six days after the earthquake. The team will grasp every opportunity and do its best to find the remaining survivors," Yiu Men-yeung, deputy chief fire officer of the Fire Services Department and commander of the HKSAR search and rescue team, was quoted as saying in the statement.
The team has 49 members from the FSD's Urban Search and Rescue Team, including firemen, ambulancemen and fire services workshops personnel, as well as officers from the Security Bureau, the Immigration Department and the Department of Health.
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It has approximately eight tonnes of equipment, which includes life detectors and masonry cutting machines as well as the team members' daily necessities.
The HKSAR government said it will fully support the team and ensure they complete the mission smoothly.