A volunteer search-and-rescue team from northern Greece is heading to Venezuela to join international efforts in the wake of this week’s devastating earthquake in the South American country.
The unit aims to also deploy specialized equipment and trained personnel to assist in the search for survivors.
Members of the Thessaloniki branch of the Special Mission Volunteer Rescue Team (EPOMEA) are due to depart today, Friday, for Caracas, where they will operate alongside Serbian and Turkish rescue teams in areas assigned by local authorities.
Speaking to Greece’s public broadcaster ERT3 in Thessaloniki, local EPOMEA President Miltos Benakis said the team will deploy drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras, search-and-rescue dogs and other specialized equipment to support operations in the disaster zone.
He described the deployment as a costly humanitarian mission, adding that the volunteer organization is seeking financial support from private sponsors and the Greek state to help cover operational expenses. The team is composed entirely of volunteers with professional emergency response training.
The earthquake struck Venezuela earlier this week, causing widespread destruction to buildings and infrastructure and prompting a major international rescue effort amid concerns that people remain trapped beneath collapsed structures.
The deployment comes as Greece has closely monitored developments in Venezuela, where a longstanding Greek community remains active, particularly in the capital of Caracas. Over the past two days, Greek media have also highlighted the foreign ministry’s monitoring of the situation and efforts to establish contact with members of the diaspora while assessing whether any Greek nationals were affected by the disaster.
EPOMEA has built a reputation for participating in major international disaster response operations, including earthquake relief missions in Turkey, Morocco and elsewhere, where its volunteer rescuers have worked alongside international emergency teams in complex search-and-rescue environments.
