Watch: Standing Outside Collapsed Tower, Maltese Rescue Officer Delivers Bleak Turkey Earthquake Update
A Maltese search and rescue team helping Turkey deal with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake has only managed to recover dead bodies so far.
CPD Chief Assistance Rescue Officer Kevin Pace delivered a video update from the eastern Turkish city of Malatya, where 32 CPD officers and a search and rescue dog, were assigned shortly after the earthquake.
Standing outside debris of a collapsed tower, Pace admitted that the situation in Turkey is “very challenging” and that the language barrier and snowy weather conditions aren’t making their jobs any easier.
“We’ve been here for around 48 hours and the more time passes, the lower the chances of finding survivors under the rubble keeps gets,” he said. “We have recovered four people so far, but all had unfortunately died.”
Almost 16,000 people have been confirmed dead in Turkey and neighbouring Syria as a result of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey on Monday, followed by hundreds of aftershocks.
Prime Minister Robert Abela yesterday praised the CPD contingent for their courage and dedication and thanked them in the name of the people of Malta.
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