A search and rescue mission from the Republic of Cyprus scheduled to fly to quake-stricken Turkey is on standby, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides told ANT1 TV on Thursday.
Kasoulides explained that on the one hand, an issue came up with a Romanian aircraft meant to transport the rescuers to Turkey, while on the other hand, Turkey is expected to announce soon that it won’t need more rescuers from abroad.
The mission was scheduled to depart this afternoon for Turkey.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Demetris Demetriou told Cyprus News Agency (CNA) that the Cypriot team is on “standby, ready to move and contribute to the efforts of the rescue teams when needed.”
As he said, the Ministry was informed by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism that there are enough rescue teams in the area. However, he emphasised that it is a situation that is “changing from minute to minute”.
Civil Defence spokesman, Panayiotis Liasidis, told CNA that the mission was expecting an aircraft from Romania, which would pick up the Cypriot rescuers. He said that 17 people in total were to man the mission. Specifically, 15 people will be sent from the Civil Defence, while a doctor and a nurse from the Health Services will also be part of the mission.
The mission will take food, which they must have with them in the first days, as well as medical equipment, which the medical team will use.
However, the Republic will send humanitarian aid to Turkey and Syria, in the form of financial assistance and materials, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Demetris Demetriou told Active Radio.
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