A Hong Kong rescue team received a hero’s welcome upon its return to the city on Wednesday night after spending 11 days in earthquake-stricken Myanmar searching for survivors.
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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and the top Myanmese diplomat in Hong Kong joined a welcome ceremony at Hong Kong airport, along with family members of the rescuers, who left on their mission on March 29.
The 51-strong team comprised 41 rescuers from the Fire Services Department, four Security Bureau workers, two members from the police force, and two doctors and two nurses from the Hospital Authority. Two search dogs, springer spaniels Umi and Twix, were also sent.
The team members were deployed in 61 operations at 57 locations, and along with their mainland Chinese counterparts, found a survivor last Wednesday who had been trapped under the rubble of a hotel in hard-hit Mandalay for more than 125 hours.
Lee said he was proud of the team’s performance.
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