Hanoi (VNA) – Successfully accomplishing their mission, the search and rescue forces from the Ministry of National Defence and Ministry of Public Security arrived in Hanoi on April 8 evening, concluding their humanitarian operations in Myanmar, leaving lasting impressions on both the disaster-stricken communities and international partners they had worked with, earning them the honourable title of “ambassadors of peace” beneath the sacred red flag with the golden star.
Over the course of 10 tireless days, the Vietnamese officers worked closely with international rescue forces, demonstrating deep solidarity and a profound sense of responsibility.
Vietnam was among the earliest countries to dispatch a rescue team to Myanmar after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake devastated this Southeast Asian country.
The 106-member delegation included 80 officers and soldiers from the Ministry of National Defence and 26 from the Ministry of Public Security, equipped with medical supplies, specialised equipment, and 300,000 USD in humanitarian aid. Upon arrival at Yangon Airport on March 30, the team travelled hundreds of kilometres to Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar’s capital, and then onward to the hardest-hit areas.
Amid the rubble, where aftershocks continued to shake already weakened structures, the Vietnamese officers and soldiers worked with urgency, fuelled by the spirit that “every victim is as precious as our own kin,” as expressed by Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Rescue Department under the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, and head of the military rescue force. Despite intense heat exceeding 40°C, decaying bodies, waterlogged terrain, language barriers, and spartan living conditions, the rescuers never faltered - driven by a singular mission - to save as many lives as possible.
Colonel Pham Tan Phong, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, affirmed that the force’s only goal was to help the people of Myanmar through this difficult time.
Acknowledging the Vietnamese forces’ efforts, Major General Myat Thu, Director of the Fire Services Department under the Myanmar Ministry of Home Affairs, expressed his deep admiration, stating that the spirit of the Vietnamese rescue team was truly remarkable. Captain Yar Zar, also from the department, was moved by the Vietnamese soldiers’ meticulous efforts to search every crevice in the rubble in order to rescue victims regardless of their condition.
Beyond bravery, the Vietnamese team was praised for their professionalism, technical skills, and ingenuity. Collaborating with the Vietnamese officers at Ottara Thiri Hospital in Nay Pyi Taw, Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed K. Al Mahri of the UAE Civil Defence Force commended the Vietnamese rescue team as highly skilled, dedicated, and professional.
Captain Yar Zar also lauded the Vietnamese sappers for their resourcefulness in devising solutions without access to heavy machinery. Their creative techniques included using half-filled water bottles placed upside-down to detect tremors, and employing hydraulic cutters that could break through large concrete slabs with minimal vibration - helping to avoid secondary collapses.
Thanks to their relentless efforts, the Vietnamese rescuers contributed to what many considered miraculous outcomes. At a gratitude ceremony on April 6 honouring international teams from Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, Myanmar’s Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement announced that eight people had been rescued alive and the bodies of 172 victims had been recovered from affected areas including Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay, and Sagaing.
The Vietnamese teams recovered the largest number of victims. The Ministry of National Defence team retrieved 21 bodies, while the force of the Ministry of Public Security recovered seven and assisted in extracting another seven with international partners using sniffer dogs and advanced detection tools.
Most notably, the Vietnam People’s Army achieved a remarkable feat by rescuing 26-year-old Htet Maung Maung, who had been trapped beneath debris for a full week in Nay Pyi Taw. Vietnamese sappers led the delicate extraction, clearing rubble under dangerous conditions to allow military medics access. Senior Lieutenant Dao Van Long of the Engineer Brigade 229 personally dug through solid debris using only his hands and basic tools. The moment he grasped the warm hand of the trapped man provided not only comfort in a life-or-death situation, but also hope for all those still searching. Colonel Dao Van Duy, Vietnam’s Defence Attaché in Myanmar, was present throughout the rescue process, offering constant reassurance to the victim to keep his spirit alive.
Among all international teams, the Vietnamese delegation also led in humanitarian outreach. They distributed tens of tonnes of dried food, provided medical treatment for hundreds of local people, erected temporary shelters, disinfected 5,000 sq.m of affected residential areas, and implemented mosquito control measures. Additionally, five civil activities were carried out, offering financial support to the families of six deceased victims.
Wherever the Vietnamese team went, they were greeted with gratitude and gestures of appreciation - cold drinks and heartfelt thanks that came straight from the people. “We’ve just endured a terrible earthquake,” said Daw Maw Maw. “But over the past few days, we have received heartfelt care and support from the Vietnamese rescue team, who brought us food and medicine.”
Colonel Nguyen Minh Khuong, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Public Security’s Police Department of Fire Fighting, Fire Prevention and Rescue and head of the ministry’s rescue team, highlighted the close cooperation between Vietnam’s teams and their counterparts from Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar. He said that local communities described the Vietnamese rescue team as a “Buddhist army” - an honourable title that reflects the compassion and humanity they brought.
According to Major General Ty, the Vietnamese team’s rescue and humanitarian operations not only deepened the friendship between Vietnam and Myanmar during these trying times, but also embodied the Vietnamese tradition of mutual aid and the noble spirit of the Vietnamese soldiers
The meaningful contributions of these “ambassadors of peace” not only reinforced solidarity with Myanmar but also reaffirmed Vietnam’s role in international humanitarian operations, leaving a profound impression on friends around the world./.
