Watch: Gift of the Givers volunteers return from search-and-rescue missions in Türkiye and Syria

Gift of the Givers (GOTG) volunteers who left to assist in search-and-rescue missions in Türkiye and Syria arrived to a heroes’ welcome on their scheduled return at the Cape Town International Airport and OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday.

Immediately after the tragedy of the twin quakes last Monday, GOTG sent its first search-and-rescue team on the Tuesday, with more personnel and police K9 sniffer dogs and their handlers, joining.

The death toll in both Turkiye and Syria is now over 40 000, while scores of bodies are still missing and yet to be found.

Gift of the Givers’ chairman and founder Dr Imitiaz Sooliman said that one of the greatest moments was when the organisation’s rescue teams pulled out an 80-year-old from the rubble eight days after being trapped.

Video: Ayanda Ndamane / African News Agency (ANA)