Rescuers from E China's Zhejiang return home after completing rescue missions in Türkiye

Chinese rescue teams from east China's Zhejiang Province are on their way back or have returned home after wrapping up their rescue operations in quake-hit areas in Türkiye.

A bus carrying members of the Rescue Team of Ramunion arrives in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the united front work department of the CPC Gongshu district committe, Hangzhou)

Members of the Rescue Team of Ramunion arrive in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the united front work department of the CPC Gongshu district committe, Hangzhou)

On Feb. 16, the Rescue Team of Ramunion, the first civil rescue team in China to participate in rescue work in Türkiye, came back to Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang, after completing its rescue operations.

Upon their arrival in Türkiye, the eight rescue experts met with the local support team and together headed for Iskenderun, Hatay Province to carry out rescue work.

"After we arrived in Iskenderun, we inspected the damage caused to the buildings, reinforced buildings that had survived the earthquake and searched for and rescued people," said Wang Bin, head of the Rescue Team of Ramunion.

Members of the Rescue Team of Ramunion conduct rescue work in a quake-hit area in Türkiye. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

"Because we had professional rescue equipment and techniques, we quickly earned the trust of the local people, who would come to us for help," Wang said.

On Feb. 9, the rescue team successfully saved seven survivors from the ruins, including a family. On Feb. 10, they saved another two survivors in Antakya, Hatay Province.

Members of the Rescue Team of Ramunion carry out rescue work in Türkiye. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

On Feb. 13, the rescue team left Hatay Province. Over the course of five days, the Chinese rescuers searched for survivors in the rubble of 178 buildings, saved nine survivors and found 15 victims.

"The local citizens really appreciated our work. When we were on the return journey, the local citizens, after seeing the uniforms we were wearing and the the Chinese national flag on our uniforms, hugged us, shook hands with us and some even said ‘thank you’ to us in Chinese to express their gratitude for coming from far away to help them," Wang recalled.

"This is our first overseas rescue mission after COVID hit. It is not simply about saving lives, but reflects the sincere feelings of the people of the two countries toward each other in the face of the disaster," said He Jun, founder of the Rescue Team of Ramunion, who said that the team will make greater contributions to future overseas rescue missions based on the experience accumulated during its rescue operations in Türkiye.

The Guixing Rescue Team from Zhuji city, a county-level city in Shaoxing city, is scheduled to arrive in Hangzhou on Feb. 17.

At 9 p.m. on Feb. 13 local time, the Guixing Rescue Team, together with other rescue teams, successfully saved a 10-year-old girl from ruins in Kahramanmaras Province, Türkiye. The girl had been buried in the ruins for nearly 178 hours.

When the girl was pulled out, everyone at the site applauded the miracle. The girl was immediately transferred to hospital and is currently in stable condition. Over the course of four days, the Guixing Rescue Team saved one survivor and found 30 victims.

"Thank you very much. The Chinese rescuers are very professional," said a Turkish translator, who was assigned to help the Chinese rescuers carry out their rescue work, conveying the local residents' gratitude toward them.

Members of the Guixing Rescue Team from Zhuji, Zhejiang, prepare to return home. (Photo courtesy of the Guixing Rescue Team)

Members of the Guixing Rescue Team from Zhuji, Zhejiang carry out rescue work in Türkiye. (Photo courtesy of the Guixing Rescue Team)

Members of the Guixing Rescue Team from Zhuji, Zhejiang pose for a picture with local residents in Türkiye. (Photo courtesy of the Guixing Rescue Team)

Members of the Guixing Rescue Team from Zhuji, Zhejiang pose for a picture with local rescuers in Türkiye. (Photo courtesy of the Guixing Rescue Team)

After carrying out about 111 hours of intensive rescue operations, four rescuers from the Yinzhou Blue Sky Rescue Team in Ningbo city began their return journey on Feb. 14.

The 10-member Zhejiang branch of the Blue Sky Rescue Team, which the four rescuers from Ningbo are part of, saved two survivors from ruins in quake-hit areas in Türkiye, including an 83-year-old who had been buried under rubble for 117 hours before being saved. They also found 25 victims.

A member of the Blue Sky Rescue Team carries out rescue work in Türkiye. (Photo courtesy of the Blue Sky Rescue Team)