Late on June 28 and into the early hours of June 29, Deputy Minister of National Defence Nguyen Truong Thang presided over a departure ceremony at Noi Bai International Airport for the Vietnamese military and public security contingent heading to Venezuela.
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang gives final instructions to the forces before departure for the mission (Photo: Pham Hung).
Nguyen Truong Thang urged the team to work in close coordination with the Vietnamese police contingent, local authorities and international rescue teams throughout the mission.
He said he was confident that the delegation, backed by thorough preparations and a strong sense of responsibility, would successfully complete its mission, helping Venezuela recover from the earthquake while demonstrating the professionalism and capabilities of the Vietnam People's Army on the international stage.
Earlier, Nguyen Truong Thang met Estela Del Valle Quijada Suarez, chargé d'affaires of the Venezuelan Embassy in Vietnam.
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang meets Estela Del Valle Quijada Suarez, charge d'affaires of the Venezuelan Embassy in Vietnam (Photo: Pham Hung).
During the meeting, he reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to supporting Venezuela through search and rescue operations and humanitarian assistance following the disaster.
Suarez thanked the Vietnamese government for deploying military and police personnel to assist Venezuela, expressing confidence that the contingent would successfully carry out the mission entrusted to it.
According to Vietnam Airlines, flight VN66 departed from Noi Bai International Airport in the early hours of June 29 to transport the Vietnamese rescue mission to Venezuela.
The Airbus A350 departed at 12.45 am carrying 124 personnel, 10 search and rescue dogs, and 25 tonnes of humanitarian supplies and specialised equipment provided by the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Public Security.
Sniffer dogs ready for duty in Venezuela (Photo: Pham Hung).
The aircraft is scheduled to make a technical stop at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport before continuing to Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas, where it is expected to arrive at 12.10 pm local time on June 29.
