Search and rescue teams sent from Türkiye arrive in Venezuela after earthquakes

Türkiye dispatched fully equipped search and rescue teams to Venezuela, which was shaken by two major earthquakes in quick succession. The teams landed at Simon Bolivar International Airport in the capital Caracas.

Scraper SystemJune 28, 2026, 10:17 AM

Search and rescue teams sent from Türkiye arrive in Venezuela after earthquakes

Search and rescue teams dispatched from Türkiye have arrived in Venezuela, which was shaken by two major earthquakes in quick succession. The teams, arriving on two military cargo planes at Simon Bolivar International Airport in the capital Caracas, were welcomed by Türkiye's Ambassador to Caracas, Naci Aydan Karamanoğlu.

In a statement to reporters, Ambassador Karamanoğlu said that Venezuela experienced two earthquakes of a magnitude not seen in 125 years. Describing the quakes as 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, Karamanoğlu noted, “Unfortunately, this resembled the February 6 disaster, the earthquake of the century, and caused massive destruction.”

Karamanoğlu stated that the earthquakes affected several states, including the capital Caracas, and emphasized that the worst devastation occurred in the state of La Guaira, where the airport is located. “The scenes here unfortunately resemble those of February 6, and we are very happy that the search and rescue teams have arrived,” he said.

Karamanoğlu also conveyed that Venezuelan authorities thanked the teams for their arrival. He expressed, “I thank our state, all its institutions, especially our Ministry of National Defense, our Ministry of Health, AFAD, similarly the Red Crescent, our other institutions, and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

“We brought not just aid but the generosity of the Turkish people”

Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces Humanitarian Aid Brigade, Brigadier General Mehmet Bahtiyar, stated that they arrived in Venezuela with a fully equipped search and rescue unit and four search and rescue dogs. Bahtiyar said, “We brought not just personnel and equipment, but the generosity of the Turkish people, our friendship, and our get-well wishes to the Venezuelan people after this earthquake.”

Emphasizing that distance does not matter in natural disasters, Bahtiyar added, “We came from very far away, but that doesn’t matter. We, as a brigade, are ready to assist all people and living beings in need around the world, wherever they are.”

24-hour uninterrupted operations in the region

AFAD Denizli Provincial Deputy Director Haluk Önay Erten noted that the consecutive earthquakes caused massive destruction in Venezuela. Stating that they arrived in the region on behalf of the Republic of Türkiye, Erten said AFAD is operating on the ground with a UN-accredited heavy-level team.

Erten stated, “We will carry out uninterrupted search and rescue operations on a 24-hour basis. Our team also includes UMKE teams from the Ministry of Health. They will provide initial medical intervention to survivors rescued from the rubble.” He added that two representatives from the Turkish Red Crescent are also part of the team to assist efforts to help those affected return to normal life.

Search and rescue teams sent from Türkiye arrive in Venezuela after earthquakes