'Thank you for your service': Around 400 people welcome SCDF contingent from Myanmar at Changi Airport

After 11 days in Myanmar, 80 officers of the Operation Lionheart (OLH) contingent have returned to Singapore.

The team was deployed to Myanmar to help with rescue efforts after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country on Mar. 28.

Warm welcome by about 400 people

The officers, who landed in Singapore at around 4:10pm at Changi Airport Terminal 3, received a warm welcome from a large crowd of loved ones and well-wishers.

The crowd of about 400 people could be heard cheering "Lionheart, Lionheart" as the contingent entered the arrival hall.

Some also brought along signs and bouquets to welcome the contingent:

Emotional reunion

A group of Burmese people were seen tearfully gifting roses to the officers, thanking them for their service.

Tears of joy were also shed as the officers reunited with their loved ones.

Welcome reception with ministers

Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Faishal Ibrahim were also seen welcoming the contingent.

Thanking them for their service, Shanmugam said:

"Thank you for the very good work that each one of you've done and sacrificed, and being away during the holiday period as well. I'm really glad [and] happy to see all of you back, ultimately. Thank you very much for your service."

Faishal expressed his gratitude to the contingent's families, saying:

"The Home Team contingent have the support of their family and the general community in Singapore. Even though they have returned back to Singapore, our thoughts, hearts and minds are still with the citizens of Myanmar."

OLH Team Leader: Myanmar locals played a "huge role" in rescue efforts

Speaking to the media, Team Leader Colonel Tay Zhi Wei shared that the OLH contingent searched a total of 26 sites, treated 135 patients and rescued one life during the 11-day deployment.

Tay also took the opportunity to commend the local community, saying they played "a huge role" during their stint in Myanmar.

"Our base of operations were co-located in a hotel. The hotel management and staff helped us by providing us with fresh rations. They also provided us with transport and an interpreter. A local bank also supplemented us with an additional interpreter."

He added: "The [people] in Myanmar are a resilient lot. We hope what we've done has provided some form of relief and, in some cases, closure to them."

And it seems like the officers weren't the only ones who had a role to play in the rescue efforts:

"Our rescue dogs were very helpful in helping the local authorities search huge areas of collapsed structures."

Top image from Ashley Tan