New survivor found in Turkey’s Hatay province 12 days after earthquake

In a ray of hope amid the devastation caused by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in southern Turkey, a 45-year-old man was rescued by Turkish rescuers on Friday, almost 12 days after the quake hit that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

In the southern province of Hatay, Hakan Yasinoglu, in his 40s, was rescued by the Istanbul Fire Brigade after spending 278 hours trapped under a collapsed building. Rescuers were seen carefully carrying him in a stretcher from the flattened building, tied down to avoid a fall and covered with a golden thermal jacket.

Three other people were rescued since late Thursday while the search for more survivors continues at some sites around the clock. Two survivors, Osman Halebiye(14) and Mustafa Avci(34) were pulled from the ruins in Turkey's historic city of Antakya, also known as Antioch. 

"I had completely lost all hope. This is a true miracle. They gave me my son back. I saw the wreckage and I thought nobody could be saved alive from there," Avci's father was quotes as saying by news agency Reuters.

Experts say most rescues occur in the 24 hours following an earthquake, but the latest rescues give hope that more people might be found. While international rescue teams have largely left the region, local authorities and volunteers are continuing to work tirelessly to locate and assist those who have been affected by the earthquake

The earthquake has been recognized as the worst disaster in modern Turkish history with a death toll of 39,672. In Syria, however, the death toll has not changed for days remaining stagnant at 5,800. 

Aid organizations continue to provide crucial support to those impacted by the earthquake. The United Nations has launched a $1 billion relief effort in Turkey and a $400 million appeal for Syrians affected by the disaster.

(With inputs from Agencies)