Bodies recovered from Amatrice ruins thanks to SOS Malta sniffer dogs

Six-year-old Mambo, a German Shepherd, and four-year-old Ace, a Border Collie, were crucial in helping Italian authorities recover the bodies of five persons killed in the Amatrice earthquake.

The two dogs were taken to Italy by the SOS Malta team currently in the quake-stricken town helping rescuers comb through the ruins in the hope of finding survivors. With the support of the Maltese embassy in Rome, SOS Malta will be extending its stay in Amatrice to provide humanitarian aid.

Speaking to MaltaToday from Rome, head of mission John Gera said that the two sniffer dogs proved to be very helpful in the searches, with the authorities confirming that at least five bodies had been recovered thanks to the work of the sniffer dogs.

The dogs were checked by an Italian vet and found to be in perfect condition after all the searches. The team has since returned to Malta, with SOS Malta thanking the group for their prompt response. The organisation added that it would continue to provide assistance to the victims of the earthquake through the Maltese Embassy in Rome in synergy with the reconstruction plans to be outlined by the Italian government.

 The five-man team was called back to the town on Saturday morning after emergency crews were advised to leave the area because of strong aftershocks. The team was just 20 minutes away from the location when a second earthquake hit the town, causing more buildings to collapse. As a result, emergency crews were told to head back to safe zones.

According to Italian media, the death toll has reached 290 as Italy held a mass funeral for 35 of the victims. The coffins, which were laid out in rows on the floor, included two painted white for two children who lost their life. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and President Sergio Mattarella were among those attending the funeral.

“The situation on the ground is extremely fluid,” Gera, a former manager at the Civil Protection Department, told MaltaToday.

“The area is extremely dangerous due to the ruins and the operations are being carried out in small teams as families search for missing relatives.” 

Photos sent in by the Maltese rescuers show the two dogs sniffing the rubble in the hope of finding survivors.

Gera and his team have been trained to work in disaster zones: “We might have not been involved in catastrophes of this scale, but we know what to expect. The team is well-trained, we talk with each other and focus on what we’re doing. We have seen bodies being pulled out of the debris – it is hard, but this is what we are trained to do and that is why we are here. Our job is to assist in these unfortunate situations. Our morale is still strong.”

The Maltese team met the now-homeless people living in tents and could feel the pain and anger, and also their fear. “These are people who have lost everything they had, including relatives and friends.”

SOS Malta is urging the public to help with donations: these can be sent to SOS Malta, 10, Triq il Ward, Sta Venera SVR 1640 or via SOS Malta Emergency Bank accounts: APS a/c 20000245111, HSBC a/c 006070932050, BOV a/c 40013974950.