Hungarian rescuers save 27 survivors from earthquake rubble in Türkiye

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Hungarian rescue units have saved 27 survivors and found dozens of dead in the rubble in the Hatay region in southern Türkiye, which was devastated by an earthquake on Monday, Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, told a regular press conference on Thursday.

Gulyás expressed his sympathies over the victims of the earthquake which killed at least 15,000 people in Türkiye and Syria.

Hungary’s embassy is in contact with all 16 Hungarian citizens in the region, and all are well, he said.

Since Wednesday evening, a total of 156 people and 26 dogs have been working in Hungarian missions on the Turkish area of the disaster, he added.

From Hungary, the National Disaster Management Authority (OKF), the Eletjel rescue mission, the Baptist Charity, the HUBA Rescue24 organisation of firemen and rescue teams, the charity of the Hungarian Reformed Church and the Pest County Rescue Mission were the first to arrive. OKF’s volunteer rescue organisation has 31 people and six dogs on the scene since Wednesday, and an 18-strong unit of counter-terrorism centre TEK joined the efforts on Thursday, he added.