There is conflicting news over the ending of Search and Rescue operations for survivors in Derna.
Yesterday, eight days after Storm Daniel devastated the city, Abdul Hamid Issa, one of the coordinators of the local relief teams, was quoted by Libya’s state news agency LANA, saying Turkish, Spanish and Egyptian teams specialized in searching for survivors left the city after the chances of finding survivors were deemed to have ended.
Issa explained in press statements that work in Derna is currently limited to recovering bodies from under the rubble of destroyed buildings and from the sea.
Relief teams are facing great difficulty in dealing with hundreds of bodies that are returned to the beach by the waves or that have begun to decompose under the rubble of buildings destroyed by the floods.
Head of Air Ambulance service denied end of survivors search
Meanwhile, yesterday, the Director General of the Air Ambulance Services denied the circulating news about the departure of foreign rescue teams from the city of Derna.
He confirmed that work is continuing in search operations, saving lives, and recovering bodies from under rescue, indicating that the agency is continuing its efforts in providing facilities and supporting the existing teams.
Health and Safety Authority announces end of its mission in Derna
Equally, Libya’s Health and Safety Authority announced yesterday the end of its mission in Derna and the return of its members to their respective homes. Members of the Sea Rescue division will carry on their search and rescue operations in Derna.
