Politics

Military rescuers commended for search and rescue operations in quake-hit Turkey

The Ministry of National Defence held a ceremony in Hanoi on February 24 to commend officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) who had participated in humanitarian relief and search and rescue operations in Turkey following the devastating earthquake on February 6.
Military rescuers commended for search and rescue operations in quake-hit Turkey ảnh 1Members of the VPA team presented with the certificate of merit of the Defence Minister (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of National Defence held a ceremony inHanoi on February 24 to commend officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People’sArmy (VPA) who had participated in humanitarian relief and search and rescue operations in Turkey following the devastating earthquake on February 6.

The VPA sent a 76-member team to Turkey, who were assigned to work in Hatay province, one of the localities hardest hit by the quake. During the deployment period from February 13-22, the VPA team performed search in 31 locations and located 15 points withvictims, including two with signs of survivors. As a result, 28 bodiesof victims had been brought out of the debris.

At the same time, the team coordinated with their peersfrom Bahrain and Mexico to discover three locations in which 10 victims wereburied, while helping three households to find stable shelters. Militarydoctors of the team provided medical checks and treatment to seven patientsfrom the rescue team of other countries and one local person. They also presentednearly 25 tonnes of goods, including military rations, rice, milk, medicalequipment, and many other necessities to earthquake victims.

The VPA team’s activities were appreciated by TurkishPresident Tayyip Erdogan, and leaders of Hatay province and relevant agencies in the host country.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong,Chief of the General Staff of the VPA and Deputy Minister of National Defence,commended the officers and soldiers for making great efforts and wellcoordinating with their peers from Turkey and other countries to effectivelyconduct search and rescue and humanitarian relief activities, despite harsh weather conditions and difficulties in daily activities.

Military rescuers commended for search and rescue operations in quake-hit Turkey ảnh 2Members of the VPA team presented with the certificate of merit of the Defence Minister (Photo: VNA)
Their actions demonstrate the high sense of responsibility,capacity and prestige of the VPA in the face of non-traditional securityissues, which have earned recognition and appreciation by the international community, theGovernment and people of Turkey, he said.

Turkish Ambassador Haldun Tekneci expressed his gratitudefor Vietnam – one of the first countries sending their rescuers to his country after the devastating disaster.

This noble action reflects Vietnam's commitment tocarrying out its global humanitarian mission, and also shows the very goodrelationship that Turkey and Vietnam have pursued for many years, he stressed.

Military rescuers commended for search and rescue operations in quake-hit Turkey ảnh 3Leader of the Vietnam Red Cross Society grants certificate of merit to eight collectives (Photo: VNA)
At the event, 76 individuals of the VPA team were presented withthe certificate of merit of the Defence Minister./.
VNA
#Ministry of National Defence #humanitarian relief #Turkey #search and rescue operations #Vietnam People’s Army #Vietnam #Vietnamplus #Vietnam News Agency
Follow VietnamPlus

Related News

VPA’s rescue team sent to Turkey completes mission

VPA’s rescue team sent to Turkey completes mission

By the command from the heart, the rescue team of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA), sent to Hatay province – one of the Turkish locality most affected by the February 6 earthquake, has successfully completed its mission, Maj. Gen. Pham Van Ty has said.

See more

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (Photo: VIetnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Liechtenstein PM’s Vietnam visit a success on every front: Deputy FM

The October 17-19 official visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister of Liechtenstein Brigitte Haas has broken new ground after 18 years, building political trust and supporting the rollout of shared bilateral and multilateral agreements. It also reinforced Vietnam’s role as a gateway to ASEAN and Liechtenstein’s links to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

National Assembly deputies from Vinh Long and Lao Cai provinces discuss issues in group. (Photo: VNA)

NA deputies urge strengthening oversight of international agreements

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc said that the Government has directed the drafting of the revised law towards greater decentralisation, simpler procedures and paperwork, and wider application of science and technology to facilitate international cooperation.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil and Suriname Bui Van Nghi (second from right) meets with representatives of Suriname’s national oil company Staatsolie. (Photo: Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil)

Vietnam, Suriname promote substantive cooperation across multiple fields

Surinamese President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons spoke highly of the friendship between the two countries and expressed her desire to expand cooperation with Vietnam in agriculture, aquaculture, expert exchanges and technical training, thereby enhancing production capacity and ensuring food security.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (sixth from right, front row) visits the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen on October 19 afternoon (local time). (Photo: VNA)

Top Vietnamese leader visits Niels Bohr Institute in Denmark

Joachim Mathiesen, head of the institute, briefed the Vietnamese guests on its history and research activities. He said that as a leading physics research centre at the University of Copenhagen, the institute is renowned for its foundational contributions to atomic physics and quantum mechanics.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung (right) and Liechtenstein Prime Minister Brigitte Haas (Photo: VNA)

Liechtenstein Prime Minister concludes official visit to Vietnam

The two sides also agreed to expedite the ratification of the Vietnam-EFTA Free Trade Agreement and accelerate its implementation once it enters into force, while strengthening cooperation in green transition, the circular economy, renewable energy, emissions reduction and climate change adaptation.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (second from right) and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly meet with King Frederik X and Queen Mary. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam treasures time-tested friendship, multifaceted cooperation with Denmark: Top leader

Both leaders welcomed the positive development of the bilateral relations, particularly since the establishment of the Comprehensive Partnership in 2013 and the Green Strategic Partnership in 2023. Economic, trade and investment cooperation has continued to expand, with Danish companies such as LEGO, Pandora and Carlsberg operating and expanding their business in Vietnam, contributing to socio-economic development, job creation, technology transfer and sustainable green growth.

Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung (L) meets with Swiss President Guy Parmelin. (Photo: Ministry of Industry and Trade)

Vietnam–EFTA Free Trade Agreement targeted for implementation in 2027

Switzerland is Vietnam’s largest trading partner within the EFTA. Swiss statistics showed that bilateral trade reached approximately 3.5 billion USD in 2025, up nearly 26%. According to Vietnam's Department of Customs, two-way trade totalled 806.2 million USD in the first nine months of 2026. As of September 30, Switzerland had 247 valid investment projects in Vietnam, with total registered capital of around 2.5 billion USD, ranking 20th among 154 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asian country.

King Frederik X (L) presents the Order of the Elephant to General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam (second from left). (Photo: VNA)

Top Vietnamese leader receives Denmark’s highest-ranked honour

General Secretary and President Lam said he wishes to dedicate this great honour to the Vietnamese people, generations of Vietnamese and Danish people who laid the foundations for and have nurtured the two countries’ friendship over the past 55 years, and those in both countries who are carrying this legacy forward and ushering bilateral relations into a new chapter of development.