Turkey-Syria earthquake: NDRF team, dog squad members Rambo and Honey return to India; visuals surface

A 47-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team along with dog squad members Rambo and Honey returned to India on Friday after conducting a 10-day-long rescue operation from earthquake-hit Turkey.

India has provided Turkey, which was impacted by a strong earthquake, with humanitarian aid. An Indian Air Force C17 flight left for Turkey with more than 50 members of the NDRF and a specially trained dog squad along with tools needed for the relief work, including medical supplies, drilling machines, and other equipment.

With two separate NDRF teams—a 51-member team that arrived there in the morning and another 50-member team that arrived there by the evening—the specially trained Labrador breed dog squad, which is an expert in sniffing and other crucial skills during rescue operations in disaster-hit regions, left India for Turkey on Tuesday.

Operation Dost

Shortly after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake devastated Turkey, India declared "Operation Dost" and dispatched a force from the Indian Army to establish the 60 Para Field Hospital, and the NDRF for search and rescue operations, as well as relief and humanitarian assistance to the country.

While India's National Disaster Response Force grabbed headlines after miraculously rescuing a six-year-old girl, a lot of the credit for the daring rescue ought to be reserved for 'Romeo' and 'Julie', part of the NDRF's dog squad.

The dog squad was instrumental in detecting the little girl's whereabouts under tonnes of rubble. Without their help, the little girl may not have survived.

India stands with Turkey just like a friend in need said National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officer Ravinder, part of India's ongoing rescue operations in Turkey under 'Operation Dost'.

"NDRF is participating in rescue operations and is making efforts to rescue those stuck in the ruins. The police and army are working together for the same," Ravinder said.