Search and rescue dogs involved in Creeslough deployed to Turkey

Search and rescue dogs and their handlers, who assisted in the operation following the Creeslough explosion will travel to Turkey later this week.

The K9 Search and Rescue, based in Newry, will send personnel along with two dogs, Max and Delta, to the scene of a devastating earthquake.

More than 17,500 people have been killed by the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, and the numbers are expected to keep rising.

Max and Delta were in Creeslough to help with the rescue operation following the October 7 explosion at the Applegreen complex, which claimed ten lives.

TG4 will air documentary about 'ordinary people who assisted' in Creeslough

The Irish language broadcaster this afternoon considered their options after appeals to not air a documentary on the tragedy in Creeslough that saw 10 people lose their lives - and decided they will show 'An Craoslach' tonight

K9 founder Ryan Gray said: “This is what we train for. The dogs we are sending are USAR dogs (Urban Search and Rescue) and specialise in detecting people in collapsed building structures. We are privileged to be asked to help in the rescue of survivors and hope we can reunite families with their loved ones. We will certainly do our very best while there.”

Search and Rescue Dog Association Ireland North (SARDA IN) are also on standby to be deployed to the earthquake disaster zone in Turkey and await funding.

Threw SARDA NI dogs - Floss, Tess and Bodhi - who attended the funeral of 14-year-old Leona Harper in Ramelton.