Türkiye has sent ambulance planes to North Macedonia to transport victims of a deadly nightclub fire in Kocani, with the first aircraft arriving in Skopje on Sunday evening.
The ambulance plane, dispatched by the Turkish Ministry of Health, landed at Skopje International Airport to transfer three critically injured individuals to Istanbul for treatment.
Türkiye's Ambassador to Skopje Fatih Ulusoy confirmed that North Macedonian authorities had requested urgent medical evacuation for the most seriously injured victims.
“The ambulance plane sent by the Ministry of Health is currently taking three injured young people to our country. This evening, they will land at Cam and Sakura Hospital in Istanbul,” Ulusoy said.
TRT Global - Local media speculate that the fire was probably caused by the use of pyrotechnic devices.
‘We share their pain’
A second ambulance plane, operated by the Turkish Ministry of Defence, is en route to Skopje and is set to transport six more injured victims to Ankara Bilkent City Hospital for advanced medical care.
“The teams of the Ministry of Health made the arrangements very quickly. We are also in close contact with the North Macedonian authorities,” Ulusoy stated.
“This is a great tragedy for North Macedonia, and we share their pain. It is extremely saddening that innocent young people lost their lives and were injured in such an incident.”
The ambassador confirmed that a Turkish citizen was among the wounded and that officials would visit them later in the evening.
“We are always ready to mobilise all our means for the friendly and brotherly Macedonian people and our brothers and sisters from all communities here.
Under the instructions of our President, our opportunities have been mobilised quickly today,” Ulusoy said.
Deadly nightclub fire
A devastating fire tore through a nightclub in North Macedonia’s eastern town of Kocani killing 59, with at least 155 others injured, local media reported on Sunday.
The blaze erupted late Saturday night at the crowded venue, located about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the capital Skopje.
Authorities said 22 of the injured remain in critical condition.
The Government of North Macedonia has declared a seven-day national mourning period, starting on Monday.
