Greek team returns after saving many lives

ANKARA

The Greek rescue team, which ended the search and rescue activities in the quake zone and returned to their country, has stated that everyone in Türkiye showed them great interest and embraced them for their efforts in the quake zone.

Participated immediately in the search and rescue activities on the first day of the quake, the Greek rescue team, EMAK, returned to their country after rescuing many people from the rubble.

Dimitris Koletsa, one of the officers who pulled a 6-year-old girl out of the wreckage, stated that a man suddenly came to him crying and took him toward the wreckage where there was a little girl, while describing those moments.

“I crawled into the wreckage and shouted to my friends, ‘we have to save the child,’” he said.

“I remember when I saw the child’s face in the wreckage. She had pain, but it also included joy that showed up to help her. She spoke to us in Turkish, and we encouraged her as much as we could,” he added.

“There was no way we could leave the child there. I think this kid also understood that we were there, and we would achieve this,” Koletsa expressed. “What can I tell you now about my joy when we achieved… an indescribable joy.”

Emphasizing that the Turkish people supported them, Koletsa said, “I could tell from their body language, back-patting and hugging that they knew and supported us.”

Sokratis Dukas, another person from the team, said,” ‘Wherever we went, everyone embraced us when we said we were Greek.”

Dukas stated that as soon as they arrived in Hatay, they tried to contact the Turkish authorities, and a little boy came to them and offered him a packet of biscuits.

Welcoming the Greek team at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, Greek Climate Crisis Minister Christos Stylianides stated that the team showed what solidarity means.

Greece was in the earthquake zone at this difficult moment of humanity, Stylianides said.

Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris also stated the “solidarity and humanity the team showed has touched us all.”

“We were proud of you,” he said.

Dimitris Rupas, the head of EMAK, said, “We did what we would do if this disaster occurred in our own country, neither more nor less.”