‘Now I believe in miracles,’ says Türkiye envoy to Oman

Muscat: “Now I believe in miracles,” Muhammet Hekimoglu, Ambassador-Designate of the Republic of Türkiye to the Sultanate of Oman, said, after the Omani team extricated two Turkish citizens from the rubble.

Speaking to Times of Oman, Muhammet Hekimoglu, said: “We thank the Omani National Team and all its crews for their humanitarian and painstaking efforts in searching for survivors under rubble after the devastating earthquake in Türkiye.”

“This news, which we received in these difficult times, consoles us, eases our pain, and gives us hope that some people are still alive under the rubble.”

An official from the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority, spoke exclusively to Times of Oman about search and rescue operations in southern Türkiye, saying: “After strenuous efforts by the National Search and Rescue Team, two Turkish citizens were rescued on Monday, and emergency medicare was provided to them by the crews at the site .”

He also confirmed that the team has been continuing its search and rescue operations since its arrival.

The official from the CDAA pointed out that the National Search and Rescue Team is composed of individuals of various skills, including teams specialised in search and rescue, equipped with modern equipment such as thermal cameras that help them find survivors under the rubble.

He continued: “The team consists of 46 people including a group of civil engineers who have the knowledge of buildings of all kinds. There are also communications engineers and medical staff of various specialties, including nurses, doctors and paramedics.”

The team is equipped and trained to deal with various types of calamities, and this is not the first international operation of the team since its formation. It participated in the devastating earthquake in the Republic of Nepal in 2015.”

Disasters 

“The national team takes part in the natural disasters occurring in the Sultanate, such as rockslides and falls from mountain heights. It has also participated during the climatic conditions that affected the Sultanate in the past, such as cyclones Gonu, Mekunu and Shaheen,” he added.