Spain sent rescuers to Morocco to help search for survivors

(Patria) - Spain on Sunday sent 86 rescuers and eight search dogs to Morocco after an earthquake that killed more than 2,100 people, responding to an official request for help from Rabat.

A military plane took off on Sunday morning from the base in Zaragoza with 56 rescuers and four search dogs, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement. Their mission is to "help search and rescue survivors of the devastating earthquake that hit the neighboring country," AFP reports.

The rescue team belongs to the Spanish Military Emergencies Unit (UME), an armed forces body created to intervene quickly in emergencies such as forest fires, floods, and earthquakes. They are equipped with tools for drilling and cutting reinforced concrete, as well as means for detecting toxic or explosive substances to ensure the safety of the rescue teams, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

UME has previously assisted in earthquake rescues in Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico, Nepal, and in Turkey in February, where they rescued six people, including a mother and two children.

On Sunday evening, another military plane took off from the Torrejon de Ardoz base near Madrid with 30 rescuers and four search dogs, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior said. This rescue team, managed by the regional government of Madrid, was previously deployed to assist Chile, Ecuador, and Haiti after earthquakes.

"We will send whatever is necessary because everyone knows that these first hours are crucial, especially if there are people trapped under the rubble," said Defense Minister Margarita Robles.

According to the latest official figures, at least 2,122 people were killed and more than 2,400 injured, many seriously, in the strongest earthquake to ever hit Morocco. Earlier on Sunday, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Madrid would send aid to Morocco after receiving a formal request.

"It is a sign of Spanish solidarity and the sense of friendship that unites the people of Spain with the people of Morocco," he said.

He received a call from his Moroccan counterpart in the early hours of Sunday morning, he added. Other countries, including the United States and France, have pledged humanitarian aid, but Morocco would first have to officially request assistance, a step required before foreign crews can be deployed.