Taiwanese rescuers train with Turkey in swift water and drone rescue

Taiwanese search and rescue teams have traveled to Turkey to participate in joint training exercises focused on swift water rescue and drone integration. Ten personnel from Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior's Special Search and Rescue Team, Taipei City Fire Department, and Pingtung County Fire Department accepted an invitation from the Search and Rescue Association of Turkey (AKUT) for the drills.

The training took place in the Rize mountainous region of northeastern Turkey, near the Black Sea. This area features steep valleys and swift rivers, with mountains reaching nearly 4,000 meters, closely resembling Taiwan's Taroko Gorge. AKUT's Rize branch, specializing in water rescue, regularly trains professional rescuers for the Turkish government and civilian organizations.

The Taiwanese team engaged in various exercises, including hands-on swift water rescue, boat operations, escaping dangerous currents, managing capsized canoe incidents, and setting up drone rescue command centers for real-time search and rescue positioning and information integration. Both sides exchanged valuable experiences on equipment usage, rescue techniques, and procedures. Discussions also focused on improving the accuracy of AI-assisted drone data interpretation and integrating it with physical rescue planning.

This collaboration deepens the partnership between Taiwan and Turkey in emergency search and rescue. AKUT has previously sent teams to Taiwan for training and dispatched instructors to enhance Taiwanese rescue teams' capabilities. The joint exercise also utilized equipment donated by Taiwan following the devastating earthquakes in Turkey in February 2023, for which AKUT expressed gratitude, noting the equipment's role in boosting their confidence and efficiency in rescue operations.

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The Taiwanese team engaged in various exercises, including hands-on swift water rescue, boat operations, escaping dangerous currents, managing capsized canoe incidents, and setting up drone rescue command centers for real-time search and rescue positioning and information integration.