The Gift of the Giver’s search and rescue team has returned to South Africa after assisting with rescue operations following a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that ravaged Turkey and Syria.
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The death toll has surpassed 40,000, with scores of bodies still missing and unidentified.
Dr Imitiaz Sooliman, chairman and founder of Gift of the Givers, told IOL that one of the organisation’s proudest moments was when its rescue teams pulled an 80-year-old man from the rubble eight days after he had been trapped.
Sooliman said that despite the team’s extensive rescue efforts, there were still some locations that the teams were unable to access due to the size of the city.
Before returning home, the team of highly skilled volunteers was received at the SA Embassy in Ankara by the SA Ambassador to Turkey, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, and the former Turkish Ambassador to SA, Elif Comoglu Ulgen.
Sooliman praised the K9 search and rescue team that was used to rescue victims in Turkiye, as well as the Omani rescue teams that were sent from other nations, like China.
He thanked the SAPS top command for releasing the K9 team in less than 12 hours as well as ACSA for incredible support at the airports on departure and now facilitating arrangements for a massive reception on arrival.
He also expressed gratitude to South Africans for their prayers, kind words, encouragement, and generosity, with special thanks to the team’s families for their sacrifice.
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Picture: Gift of the Givers / Facebook