The SAR’s rescue team commander said on Tuesday the team is confident of being recognised as a "medium" search and rescue team under the United Nations.

It submitted its application for accreditation in November 2023 after engaging in rescue work following the Turkey earthquake.

The United Nations has three classifications – heavy, medium and light – that allow countries to choose the teams best suited to disaster areas.

Commander Cheu Yu-kok said the United Nations will send experts to the city to review the rescue team in the first quarter next year.

"In these two years, we actually purchased new equipment, including for the logistics store in the Kai Tak Fire Station, and also we collaborated closely with China's rescue teams to learn from their experience as to how to get the Hong Kong team accredited," Cheu said.

"We also conducted several exercises to help all our members to familiarise them with the accreditation criteria," he added.

The city’s rescue team was last dispatched to Myanmar last month to help with rescue work after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the country.

The team rescued a total of nine people along with the mainland rescue teams.