Israel this week sent a 130-strong military and search-and-rescue to Brazil following the collapse of a dam last Friday at an iron-ore mine in a rural area of the Minas Gerais state in the south-east of the country.
The collapse of the dam covered a vast area of the region in muddy sludge, sweeping over roads and destroying buildings.
The disaster has left over 65 dead and a further 250 are still missing.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement: “Following a situational assessment and discussions with local officials, it emerged that search and rescue is the main need at the Brazilian disaster site”.
The Israeli delegation of 130 is made up of medical officers and military search-and-rescue specialists. The delegation also includes members of Israeli Navy’s special Yaltam unit as there was expected to be a number of underwater missions.
The IDF said that their team would be using radar, underwater sonar, cellular detection systems and drones in order to locate missing people.
Israel regularly offers aid to countries in need, although this appeared to be the first aid delegation to Brazil.
The delegation was greeted by Romeu Zema, the governor of Minas Gerais and immediately began coordinate with local officials.
