Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said on February 8 that the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is currently in the Mediterranean Sea, headed toward Turkey in case the country requests additional assistance.
Turkey’s Kahramanmaras province was struck by earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 7.5 on Monday. The earthquake and its aftershocks destroyed many buildings near the Turkish-Syrian border, and the death toll has risen to over 12,000 people.
Ryder added, “On behalf of Secretary Austin and the Department of Defense, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to the people of Turkey and Syria, as well as all those affected by the tragic loss of life and devastation caused by these earthquakes.” Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they face the aftermath of the tragedy.
Two U.S. Urban Search and Rescue teams arrived at Turkey’s Incirlik Air Force Base on Wednesday. From Dover Air Base in Delaware, the United States sent rescue teams with 161 people, 12 military working dogs, and a variety of other tools.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) departed Piraeus, Greece, on February 7, following a scheduled port visit.
