More SA dogs, crews to assist in quake-hit Türkiye, Syria
The SA Police Service's K-9 unit is flying five dog handlers and their animals to the earthquake-stricken countries of Türkiye and Syria.
They'll join around 20 South African search and rescue crews that landed in Türkiye to assist the massive emergency relief operation.
More than 15 000 people have been killed and thousands more injured - as efforts continue in freezing conditions to save those still trapped under rubble.
Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, who's with the humanitarian relief group Gift of the Givers says they negotiated a deal with the police to have five dogs help with search-and-rescue efforts.
"Dogs make a huge impact on the search and rescue and they are efficient in helping you find where people are buried.
"That's the next stage and after that, depending on what happens, we will then release the medical team."
More teams and medical specialists left South Africa on Wednesday evening. They are expected to land at Istanbul Airport on Thursday.
The Turkish government officially requested assistance from the humanitarian foundation after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck on Monday.
Sooliman says the teams will try to make their way to quake-hit Adana, in the southern region, to set up a medical facility.
"In terms of medical support, there was a huge challenge, all the hospitals are damaged or destroyed and they cannot have medical teams everywhere.
"We will look for a facility in Adana and if they agree to give us a health facility, we will send a medical team to take over the entire facility or look at the option of setting up our own health facility on condition that we bring injured to the facility that we set up."
