An Italian navy vessel and two more from Spain has set sail for Türkiye to assist the disaster relief effort after two massive earthquakes killed nearly 9,000 people in the country's 10 southeastern provinces.
Italian Navy’s San Marco Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD) vessel is joined by the Spanish frigate Blas de Lezo and logistics support ship Cantabria.
The Italian ship can carry a battalion of troops and up to 36 armored vehicles. The stern floodable dock can accommodate three landing craft. It can provide large logistical support and play a role in disaster relief operations.
Italy’s Civil Protection Agency has also offered assistance to Türkiye and sent a firefighting team while transport flights are carrying equipment, health and other personnel.
Earlier Tuesday, Spain sent two navy vessels to Türkiye, the Juan Carlos amphibious assault ship, which has the capacity of a full-fledged hospital.
The Spanish vessels are expected to arrive in earthquake-wrecked Hatay’s Iskenderun Wednesday.
Besides them, countries from around the world have boosted Türkiye's disaster response with search and rescue teams, firefighter units and military support units.
Neighbors rush to aid
Rescue teams from numerous European countries have been actively involved in the ongoing relief efforts.
Spain's Military Emergency Unit (UME) tweeted Wednesday that its teams continued to search among the rubble of collapsed buildings for possible survivors in the Islahiye district of Gaziantep province.
Madrid had announced a day earlier that it would mobilize health professionals and a field hospital in the earthquake zone.
EMAK, the special disaster team of the Greek Fire Services, has so far rescued four people, three of them children, from under the debris of buildings in Hatay province.
Public broadcaster ERT reported that a total of 18 personnel from EMAK and the country's emergency care services EKAV would be dispatched to Türkiye.
Greece, also among the first countries to respond to Türkiye’s call for international support, is dispatching a second team of Special Units for Disasters (EMAK).
From Poland, a total of 15 rescuers in four teams from the State Fire Services (PSP) have been operating in the Besni district of Adıyaman province.
The PSP's commander Andrew Bartkowiak said on Twitter Wednesday that the teams had rescued eight people so far.
In addition, Polish Army is also sending 52 medical staff, including doctors, nurses and paramedics.
An Italian contingent consisting of 50 rescuers from the country's fire services and Civil Protection Ministry has also been operating in Hatay since Monday night.
Teams from Germany's international search and rescue agency (ISAR), which consist of 50 rescuers, are also in Hatay.
The ISAR said on Twitter that its personnel in the Kirikhan district rescued a 16-year-old boy and a woman.
France's General Directory of Civil Defense and Crisis Management tweeted that a 73-strong team was working alongside local Turkish rescuers and "doing everything possible to rescue the victims trapped under the rubble" in Osmaniye province.
Separately, Belgium's Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday that the country was preparing to send an emergency medical team to set up a field hospital and provide medical assistance to those in need.
World unites
More teams were on their way from around the globe as a military support unit from South Korea arrived in Türkiye Wednesday.
Oman, after Saudi Arabia, was establishing an air aid corridor to Türkiye and Syria to support the earthquake-affected areas.
Meanwhile, a Kuwait fire department team was headed to Türkiye to participate in relief efforts in the disaster zone.
Kazakhstan sent a second search and rescue team of 60 people while Mongolia also sent a 35-man search and rescue team and medical personnel to Türkiye.
Australia is also preparing to send an expert team to support the search and rescue efforts in the country, apart from emergency financial aid.
A team from Ukraine, including 87 state emergency service personnel, search and rescue operation specialists, doctors, cynologists and firefighters, are also headed to Türkiye.
The team also includes serach and rescue dogs, rescue vehicles, equipment and medical aid.
Meanwhile, Venezuela is sending search and rescue teams of 50 people to Türkiye and Syria.
Chinese search and rescue team also arrived in Türkiye on Wednesday.
A plane carrying a 76-man U.K. search and rescue team arrived in Türkiye on Wednesday.
A U.S. Air Force C17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft was also heading to Türkiye with a 161-man search and rescue team.
Earlier Wednesday, Taiwan's second search and rescue team set out for Türkiye along with $2 million of emergency aid donation.
In total, more than 96,670 people in multiple search and rescue teams are currently conducting operations in the field, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
At least 8,574 people were killed and 49,133 others injured after two strong earthquakes on Monday jolted southern Türkiye, the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday.
The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaraş province, struck 10 provinces and affected more than 13 million people.
Several countries in the region, particularly Syria, have also been devasted by the quake with over 2,600 confirmed dead.