The team retrieved the remains of 15 additional victims from the rubble. This brings the total number of earthquake victims uncovered by the Vietnamese contingent to 45.
The Vietnamese mission assisting in the earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela comprises 124 personnel drawn from the Viet Nam People's Army and the People's Public Security Force.
Despite the urgency of the mission, the long deployment distance, harsh living and working conditions, and the persistent aftershocks posing significant risks to rescue personnel, the Vietnamese contingent has exhibited professionalism, resilience, responsibility, and unwavering determination.
Drawing on its experience from previous international earthquake relief operations, the team has raced relentlessly against the clock, seizing every fleeting moment to surmount daunting hardships. In close coordination with the Venezuelan authorities, it has promptly deployed personnel and equipment to execute search and recovery operations, successfully retrieving many victims from collapsed structures and handing them over to the Venezuelan authorities.
The team has also administered medical assistance at the disaster site while ensuring the highest standards of operational safety. These efforts vividly encapsulate Viet Nam's spirit of international solidarity and the nation's long-standing humanitarian tradition.
On the same day, Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Search and Rescue Department under the General Staff and head of the Vietnamese mission, delivered a letter of commendation from General Phan Van Giang, Politburo Member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of National Defence, to the officers and professional servicemen participating in the earthquake response mission in Venezuela.
