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All times given in UK local (GMT+1) unless stated otherwise.Sunday 22nd August 199923:00The Team have arrived back in the UK and, following a debrief, are dispersing to their homes. The Scottish members will be staying overnight near the airport, returning to Scotland tomorrow morning. All members are fit and well. 15:30We have been advised that the Team's return flight has been delayed by approximately 1 hour. 09:30Following discussions with local officials and other agencies it has been agreed to withdraw all search and rescue team from Turkey. The Team has been working 24 hours a day for 5 days and survivors recovered. Whilst there are still large numbers missing, there is little hope of recovering them alive. The focus will be on the relieve and recovery of those people displaced by the disaster. The Team are due to return on flight AWC900A, arriving at London Heathrow Terminal 4 at 17:00 today. The International Rescue Corps would like to express thanks to the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign Office for their support during this mission. Saturday 21st August 199916:40The International Rescue Corps Team in Turkey are relocating to Istanbul. We are still awaiting details regarding their demobilisation and believe it should be within the next 48 hours. The Team have performed in the best manner possible under arduous conditions and have been successful in meeting the Corps' committed goals. 09:00We have received a report that further search and rescue efforts may soon be wound down and our Team may be returning to the UK over the weekend. We are still awaiting confirmation, however. 06:00Team have reported that contact was lost and efforts over the past 4 hours to regain contact using other equipment and dogs have not succeeded. The building structure is very unstable and, with no indication of the location of a casualty, a decision has sadly been made to abandon the efforts on that site. Friday 20th August 199923:40Team called to say that they had made possible contact with a casualty (understood to be female) with their TPL (Trapped Person Locator) on the site in Adapazari. 18:45Reports received that the Team have completed their work in Duzce and are moving to Adapazari on reports of possible trapped survivors. Adapazari lies about 70km along the road to Izmit and Istanbul. 08:00The Team have recombined in order to concentrate on completing their search on the apartments from which they previously extracted a survivor. They've identified and are investigated a number of survivable areas. Thursday 19th August 199914:30The Team have returned to their original search area and are working in two groups, one continuing with the previous 5-storey apartment building whilst the other is starting a search of a similar building nearby The high temperatures and long hours are proving to be very tiring but all Team members are continuing with their efforts. The Team report that the co-operation and assistance from the local population is first class 00:00The Team have reported that they completed a search on a 5-storey building, locating 5 casualties. After considerable efforts, four dead and one living (a woman aged about 45) were retrieved. A second Team has been deployed to search another, smaller building in the area. The IRC Team was then moving to another site to search a hospital where 100 people were reported missing; the search efforts being conducted jointly with a Belgian dog team. Daytime temperatures are reaching 40 degrees Celsius; Team members are tired but fit and well. Wednesday 18th August 199916:00An initial base camp has been established in Duzce (200km east of Istanbul) and search and rescue operations started. 10:50The Team have arrived at Duzce, to start their search and rescue operations. The weather is reported to be exceptionally hot but all Team members are well. 06:00The IRC Team has arrived safely in Istanbul and are now in transit to the search area. All members are fit and well, preparing themselves for the task ahead. Tuesday 17th August 199922:00After delays outwith the Team's control, their flight left Gatwick at 21:40. 18:10Flight now due to depart London Gatwick South Terminal at 20:15 tonight. 16:10Team members (11 men 2 women) now on their way to London Gatwick. Latest information is flight due to leave at around 19:30. 13:05The team has received approval to mobilise and will be flying out from the UK on a specially chartered flight from London Gatwick this evening. 10:45Team on stand-by to respond to earthquake in Western Turkey. Awaiting permission to mobilise from the authorities. Travel arrangements provisionally arranged for 5pm today or 9am tomorrow morning, from London Gatwick. More news will be posted here when available. United to Save Life |
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