Israel has dispatched a delegation of experts to Thailand to assist with search and rescue operations in the wake of a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the region on Friday, collapsing buildings and destroying infrastructure across the country.
The 21-member delegation headed by Colonel (res.) Yossi Pinto, commander of the IDF reserve national search and rescue unit departed on an El Al Airline plane at 10:30 pm Saturday night. The team was sent to help assess rescue and engineering efforts in the southeast Asian island nation, and will also assist in the location and extraction of trapped victims under the rubble.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the mission in coordination with the Defense and Foreign Ministries, according to Netanyahu’s office.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), with the epicenter located about 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) from Mandalay, Myanmar.
Thailand is a popular tourist destination for Israelis, prompting Israel’s Foreign Ministry to immediately issued an evacuation order for citizens living and/or traveling in the country.
As of midnight, an estimated 1,600 people had lost their lives in the disaster, with another estimated 3,000 more injured.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said there have been no reports of Israelis among the victims.
