Israel to send search and rescue delegation to Thailand after deadly earthquake

By Emanuel Fabian

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29 March 2025, 4:18 pm

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Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

Rescue teams are seen at a construction site where a building collapsed in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 28, 2025, after an earthquake. (Lillian Suwanrumpha / AFP)

Israel will send a delegation of experts to Thailand to assist in search and rescue efforts following a major earthquake in the region.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the move, in coordination with the Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry, a statement says.

The team, led by Col. (res.) Yossi Pinto, the commander of the IDF’s reserve national search-and-rescue unit, will include another 21 members. They are set to depart on an El Al flight tonight at 10:30 p.m.

The statement says the delegation will assist with “building an intelligence picture” for search and rescue and engineering efforts at sites of destruction and work to rescue those trapped.