Rescuer from Greece’s Turkish minority praises support given in Türkiye

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - A rescuer from Greece’s Turkish Muslim minority praised the support his team received by Turkish authorities and people in the quake-stricken southeastern Adiyaman province.

Speaking to Anadolu, 30-year-old Hakan Boz Ali, hailing from Asagikoy (Arsakion) village of Gumulcine (Komotini) province in the Western Thrace and a member of the "Hellenic Rescue Team", stressed that they were in close and constant coordination with the corresponding Turkish authorities from the very beginning.

Considering the fact that we were 30 volunteer rescuers, accompanied by a rescue dog, with over one ton of equipment and stuff with us, Turkish local authorities’ help was vital in our operations, he added.

“Particularly efforts of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), which did its utmost best professionally and sincerely in facilitating our work in Adiyaman was remarkable,” Ali said.

Furthermore, he said, the inter-agency coordination of the state bodies and their cooperation with foreign rescue teams were noteworthy.

Ali drew attention to the fact that they had to work under bad weather conditions but the heart-warming reception by local people kept them going.

Our team pulled two people alive from the rubble, and this made us feel very happy and fulfilled, he added.

“I particularly recall a big thank you by a little kid,” Ali said.

He added that both Greek and Turkish communities in Western Thrace have been very enthusiastic about helping victims of the quakes in Türkiye as shown by still ongoing aid campaigns.

Likewise, when we returned to Greece after a week in Türkiye, local media, associations, municipal authorities, as well as Turkish consulates in Thessaloniki and Gumulcine, received us, he said.