Spain’s Defense Minister welcomes Turkish earthquake survivors rescued from rubble

On June 21, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles welcomed a Turkish family rescued from the rubble in the Nurdagi district of Gaziantep by the Spanish Military Emergency Unit (UME) following the February 6, 2023, earthquake centered in Kahramanmaras.

‘Spain is your home’

Robles hosted Elif, her brother Mahsun Salih, and their mother Leyla Yilmaz, who were extracted from the debris of the Ismet Coskun Apartment by UME. “We are delighted to see you here. Spain is now your home and part of our family,” Robles expressed.

The Spanish Minister admired the courage, strength, and cheerfulness of the mother and promised support for the children’s education. “We were excited when the children were pulled out of the rubble, and today, we are thrilled and excited to see them healthy and safe in Spain,” Robles said, extending her gratitude to the UME personnel who risked their lives to save others.

‘Spanish people are our brothers’

Leyla Yilmaz expressed deep gratitude, saying, “The Spanish people have always been our brothers, but this solidarity increased even more after the earthquake. The Spanish soldiers who saved my children are our guardian angels.”

The UME soldiers involved in the Nurdagi rescue operations also shared their sentiments, stating, “Rescuing the children was truly a miracle. It was a team effort involving many people. We are happy to see the children growing up and to get to know the family better. We hope to see them again here in the coming years. If not, we will visit them in Nurdagi once more.”

On February 6, 2023, Leyla Yilmaz, 31, her six-year-old daughter Elif, and her two-year-old son Mahsun Salih were rescued 106 hours after the earthquake from the rubble of the Ismet Coskun Apartment in the Yavuz Selim neighborhood, Nurdagi district of Gaziantep.

The Yilmaz family, invited by the Spanish government, is also scheduled to visit Seville in Southern Spain during their stay.