Rescuers deployed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government received a warm welcome on Wednesday as they returned home from an 11-day relief operation in earthquake-hit Myanmar. 

Greeting the 51-member team during a high-profile reception ceremony at Hong Kong International Airport, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu hailed their professionalism and dedication under various challenges, as he encouraged and shook hands with each member.

The SAR's search and rescue team conducted joint operations with the teams from the Chinese mainland and successfully rescued one survivor in Myanmar's Mantalay, a city close to the epicenter of the 7.9 magnitude quake that struck the Southeast Asian country on March 28. In addition, the HKSAR team found two bodies under the debris.

Upon completion of the operation, the nation's and the HKSAR's search and rescue teams arrived in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon. Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung and Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung Yan-kin welcomed the teams at Beijing Capital International Airport and flew to Hong Kong together with the HKSAR's search and rescue team on Wednesday night.

READ MORE: Rescuers from Chinese mainland, HKSAR join hands in quake-rattled Myanmar

The 51-strong HKSAR search and rescue team, led by Deputy Chief Fire Officer of the Fire Services Department (FSD) Cheu Yu-kok, comprises 40 members of the FSD, including firemen, ambulancemen and fire services workshops personnel, as well as officers from the Security Bureau, the Immigration Department and the Hospital Authority.

China Daily's photographer Andy Chong took the photos.