Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has confirmed that the Hungarian search and rescue team in Turkey has already rescued three people from beneath the rubble of a devastating earthquake that hit the country on Monday.
According to MTI, the foreign minister said all 116 personnel and 19 dogs sent by Hungary will soon be in the country. The Hunor rescue team was the first to arrive on Monday, he said, adding that its members are already assisting the search for survivors. The five trauma surgeons sent by the National Directorate of Disaster Management are also helping out at the region’s university hospital, the minister said. Staff members of the Pest County Search and Rescue Service are also on the ground in Turkey, and the ÉLETJEL Fire and Rescue Team will be arriving in the earthquake-hit region in the evening, Minister Szijjártó said. Also, counter-terrorism force TEK will soon be sending 16 people, including five doctors and a nurse, to the area, he added. Meanwhile, Minister Szijjártó said the foreign ministry was aware of 18 Hungarian citizens who were in the area affected by the earthquake. The ministry is in constant contact with them, he said, adding that they were all fine and had not asked for any major assistance. “Hungary is providing considerable help to Turkey and the Turkish nation in this difficult time,” he said.