First group of Portuguese repatriated from Venezuela arrived in Lisbon

The first group of Portuguese people removed from Venezuela after the earthquakes of June 24th disembarked in the early hours of this Tuesday in Lisbon, when 60 deaths among Portuguese and Portuguese descendants were confirmed and there were still 87 missing or uncontactable people from the Portuguese community.

A Portuguese Air Force KC-390 plane landed at Figo Maduro military airport, in Lisbon, at 5:18 am this Tuesday, coming from Venezuela, with citizens evacuated from the country after the two strong earthquakes that hit the Caracas and La Guaira region.

According to a source from the Ministry of Defense cited by Lusa, the flight was carrying 17 people: 13 Portuguese citizenstwo Italians and two French. The group includes the first nationals repatriated since the June 24 catastrophe, which sparked an international emergency response and prompted Portugal to send search, rescue and medical support teams.

The tragedy continues, however, to particularly affect the Portuguese and Portuguese-descendant community in Venezuela, especially in La Guaira, where there is a strong Portuguese-Venezuelan presence.

According to the most recent report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are 60 confirmed fatalities of Portuguese or Portuguese descent. Ten of the victims are children. The same balance indicates that 87 people from the Portuguese community remain missing or uncontactable.

The numbers have been updated several times since the earthquakes, as rescue teams move into the field and consular authorities are able to confirm identities and locate family members.

The Portuguese mission’s base of operations is located in Catia la Mar, in the state of La Guaira, one of the most affected areas. Portugal sent a National Joint Force to Venezuela with 64 operatives and 23 tons of humanitarian aid, including specialized means in search and rescue, victim recovery, disaster response and emergency medical support.

The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes occurred west of Caracas less than a minute apart. The official Venezuelan balance shows at least 1,719 dead, 5,034 injured and 15,866 homeless.

It could still increase. According to the platform, which collects records created by citizens to locate family members, there are still around 43 thousand people to be located.

The Portuguese Government claims to remain available to support the operation in Venezuela with resources and equipment, as the search for survivors and the identification of victims continue.