Spanish emergency team rescues mom, 2 children in SE Türkiye
The Spanish emergency team, which rescued a mother and her two children, pose for a photo after a successful rescue operation in Nurdağı, Gaziantep, Feb. 10, 2023. (IHA Photo)


The Spanish emergency squad rescued a mother and her two young children from debris in the southeastern Gaziantep province, almost five days after the devastating earthquakes that hit southeastern Türkiye.

The Spanish Military Emergency Unit "rescued a boy and a girl alive!! And they continue working to rescue the mother of the little ones," the Spanish Defense Ministry said in a tweet, sharing footage of the dramatic rescue of a boy, only 2 years old, and his sister, just 6.

A few hours later, the ministry shared more good news from the team, working in quake-struck Gaziantep: "They have also saved the mother of the two little ones!"

Separately, Spanish Armed Forces marines disembarked vehicles with medical and humanitarian aid at the Atakaş port in Hatay, Türkiye's southernmost province, hit hard by the quake.

The Spanish army also deployed at Incirlik air base in Adana, organizing the unloading and distribution of aid, the ministry said, and added, "We stand with Türkiye."

Some 19,400 people were killed and over 77,700 others injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Monday, according to the latest official figures.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaraş province, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, also including Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of fewer than 10 hours.