Greek rescue team departs Thessaloniki for earthquake-hit Venezuela, joining international search for thousands missing
A 15-strong volunteer rescue squad from Thessaloniki is en route to Caracas, five days after twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 devastated the region, leaving thousands trapped under rubble.
The disaster
A double earthquake struck Venezuela on Wednesday 24 June, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5. Five days later, rescue crews are still racing to pull survivors from collapsed buildings. Authorities estimate thousands remain unaccounted for beneath the debris.
The Greek mission
An elite team of volunteer rescuers from Thessaloniki has mobilised to assist. The group consists of 15 people, though one report specifies six Greek nationals, accompanied by specially trained search dogs, drones equipped with thermal cameras, and sonar detection gear. They will operate alongside Serbian and Turkish rescue teams at sites designated by local authorities.
The Greek mission will operate, among others, with Serbian and Turkish rescuers, at the points indicated by the competent authorities.
Travel and logistics
Before departure, the volunteers completed mandatory vaccinations and paperwork. Initial plans to fly via Istanbul were altered after flight suspensions at Istanbul airport. The team will now travel from Athens to Madrid on Tuesday afternoon, 30 June, before continuing to Caracas.
- Twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 strike Venezuela.
- Thessaloniki rescue team finalises preparations and vaccinations.
- Team departs Thessaloniki; original Istanbul transit cancelled.
- Scheduled flight from Athens to Madrid, then onward to Caracas.
International effort
The Thessaloniki-based Elite Special Missions Team, led by president Miltos Benakis, brings specialised equipment rarely available in the immediate aftermath of such a disaster. Their deployment adds to a growing multinational response as the window for finding survivors narrows.
