Greece is sending five aircraft with 130 tons humanitarian aid to earthquake-stricken Turkey through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, to deal with the immediate consequences of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Foiur aircraft have already left for Turkey, a fifth one is scheduled to take off on Friday.
At the same time, a second team of EMAK rescuers from the Fire Service flew to south Turkey late on Wednesday.
Humanitarian aid
Greece will provide health and medical equipment and basic necessities, such as 7,500 blankets, 1,500 beds and 500 tents, which can accommodate families and used as mobile clinics.
The first mission of humanitarian aid to Turkey is accompanied by Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister, Christos Stylianidis and the Secretary General of Civil Protection Vassilios Papageorgiou.
According to the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry, Aegean airline will carry out five flights in order to transfer all equipment as soon as possible.
The mission is carried out in consultation with the Turkish authorities, with the assistance of the Turkish ambassador in Athens, and in cooperation with the European Commission, in the framework of the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism.
It is noted that the cost of transporting the equipment will be covered by 75% by the European Civil Protection Mechanism, while the remaining 25% of the national participation will be sponsored by the Aegean airline.
On Wednesday, Greece announced it would send humanitarian aid to Syria as well.
Note that also churches, volunteers, organizations and NGO gather first need items and money for the earthquake survivors.
EMAK rescuers
A second EMAK team consisting of 15 fire fighters/rescuers, one trained dog, a fire Service officer specialized in underpinning in the ruins of collapsed buildings, as well as 3 doctors and paramedics form the ambulance service left Thessaloniki on Wednesday.
The group was supposed to fly to Turkey with a C-130 but due to some technical problems they had to fly with a different aircraft.
Also the second EMAK team was immediately assigned with the evacuation of people trapped in the rubble.
Αντιόχεια…#Σεισμος_στην_Τουρκια #σεισμος #TurkeyEarthquake pic.twitter.com/zUfq3lCq22
— George E. Sideris (Γιώργος Ε. Σιδέρης)🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷 (@GESideris) February 9, 2023
So far, the Greek rescue teams who operate in Antakya have rescued a 30-year-old woman, a 50-year-old man, 2 girls aged 7 and 9 and a 15-year-old boy from the rubble.
Meanwhile on social media, thousands of Turkish people express their gratitude for the Greek help – despite the tensed relations between the two countries.
But nothing to Syria because we have no heart and are too cowardly to ignore the United States’ heartless barbarism. We have become inhuman.
rescuers cannot go wherever they want as countries -Syria in this case- have to officially ask for help