German rescue team arrives in Venezuela as aid flights continue

Germany dispatched a fifth military relief flight to earthquake-stricken Venezuela on Saturday as a 48-member German search-and-rescue team arrived in Caracas to join international efforts to locate survivors.

The aircraft departed from the Wunstorf Air Base in north-western Germany carrying aid workers, medicines and emergency supplies, an Air Force spokesman confirmed.

Two military planes are expected to return to Germany on Sunday, with one scheduled to fly back to the disaster zone shortly afterwards.

Meanwhile, the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) said its 48-member SEEBA international search-and-rescue unit has arrived at Caracas airport and has begun assessing the situation alongside international partners.

THW President Sabine Lackner said the priority was to begin the search for missing people as quickly as possible.

The teams are coordinating deployment sites, evaluating logistical requirements and identifying areas where survivors are most likely to be found.

The German volunteers have brought advanced search equipment as well as rescue dogs trained to locate survivors beneath rubble. The team is also establishing a base camp and plans to operate around the clock in two shifts once full search operations begin.

Two powerful earthquakes struck northern and central Venezuela on Wednesday, just 39 seconds apart. The worst damage occurred in La Guaira, home to the country's main international airport and principal seaport.

According to government figures, at least 920 people have been killed and more than 3,300 injured. Authorities fear that many people may still be trapped beneath collapsed buildings.