25 March 2011
South African rescue teams began to wrap up their mission to Japan on Friday. They have been contributing to the emergency response in earthquake devastated areas with search and recovery operations.
“One of our very interesting searches was where we used inflatable boats to search an area where water had gathered,” Samantha Botsis, Rescue SA’s spokesperson, told RFI.
Botsis said large pools of water had gathered in rice paddy fields in the Sendai area. Some areas of Sendai, in the north east of Japan, were previously unsearched.
“There was not the necessary equipment, nor the right level of expertise available to search that area,” she added.
The 46-member team of urban search and rescue specialists contains people who are especially skilled in rope rescue and others who are experts in structural collapse.
Rescue SA is one of many international teams contributing to rescue efforts in Japan. Their team consisted of volunteers and the mission cost around 700,000 euros, paid for by corporate sponsorship and donations from the general public.
After rounding up their work in Sendai the team is making its way back to Tokyo before the journey back to South Africa.
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South Africa: Rescue Team Wraps Up Mission to Japan