UK sends specialists to Turkey to help search for survivors

A TEAM of British search-andrescue specialists is heading to Turkey to help the relief effort following the earthquake which has claimed thousands of lives.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said no Britons had been reported dead in the quake which has devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, but he acknowledged it was still too early to say whether that would remain the case.

The powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake was followed by a series of aftershocks and more than 2,600 people were killed.

Mr Cleverly said the impact of the quakes was “on a scale that we have not seen for quite some time”.

The UK is sending a team of 76 search-and-rescue specialists, complete with state-of-the-art equipment and four specially trained dogs, to Turkey, with a flight scheduled to leave Birmingham last night.

They “should be on the ground shortly to give the Turkish authorities the help that they need to try to save as many lives as possible”, he said.

“With an earthquake of this magnitude, we sadly have already seen many thousands of people die,” Mr Cleverly said. “We don’t know the full extent of the injuries or fatalities and sadly they are likely to grow over the coming days. At this stage we aren’t aware of any British fatalities but of course it’s far too early for us to say that won’t be the case.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “My thoughts are with the people of Turkiye [Turkey] and Syria this morning, particularly with those first responders working so valiantly to save those trapped by the earthquake.

“The UK stands ready to help in whatever way we can.”

In Syria, the UK has for many years provided support to the White Helmets rescue team, which has operated to save lives during the bloody civil war in the country.

Although the area of Turkey which has suffered the highest degree of damage does not receive a large number of British visitors, the Foreign Office has been in contact with UK humanitarian workers in the affected areas and is ready to provide support to Britons caught up in the disaster.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called the earthquake a “tragedy” as he praised the “brave” search and rescue teams working “to try and save as many people as they can”.

The British Red Cross yesterday launched a fundraising appeal to support the response and get aid to those who need it in Syria and Turkey.