24 Turkish Cypriot students rescued from a collapsed hotel in Turkiye

24 Turkish Cypriot junior high school students being rescued from a collapsed hotel in the southeastern city of Adiyaman in Turkey has been met with relief.

Members of a volleyball team, students of Canbolat Özgürlük Secondary School were in the city to compete in a sports event when their eight-floor hotel collapsed. 

On Tuesday it was reported that the young Turkish Cypriots, who had been feared missing, were back in the TRNC where a seven-day mourning period has been declared for the earthquake’s victims.

Teachers at the privately-run school who had accompanied the team have reportedly stayed on in Turkey to help with search and rescue efforts.

Speaking on their return, TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel expressed his condolences to those who lost their lives in the earthquake in Türkiye.

He also gave information regarding the volley ball team from the Gazimağusa Turk Maarif College who are still in Türkiye.

He noted that there are 24 students, 4 teachers and 11 parents from the Gazimağusa Turk Maarif College who were staying at a hotel that collapsed.

Üstel said “After the earthquake, 3 of the parents and 1 teacher, who were in the hotel, managed to get out of the building on their own with minor injuries”.

“The remaining 24 students, 3 teachers and 8 parents, 35 citizens in total, are fighting for their survival under the rubble of the collapsed building. The rescue teams we sent to Adıyaman are continuing in the rescue efforts under difficult conditions. Machinery is also being used in the rescue efforts” said Üstel.

He also stated that civil defence teams and vehicles have also gone to Türkiye to assist in the rescue efforts.

In regards to the other sporting team that was in Kahramanmaraş, Prime Minister Üstel said that they have been transferred safely from where they were staying to another region and that they will be returning to the TRNC today.