Missing Teen Rescued from Mountain Thanks to Gyeongnam 119 Rescue Dog "Turi"

Rescue dog "Turi" belonging to the 119 Special Response Team of the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters. Provided by Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters

Last November, "Turi," a 119 rescue dog who located a missing elderly dementia patient in Sancheong County, Gyeongnam Province within just one hour of deployment, has now reunited a missing autistic teenager with her family after searching a mountain in Sacheon.

According to the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters on September 15, a teenage girl, referred to as "A," who is on the autism spectrum, went missing on September 12 in a mountain near Jeongsusa Temple in Sinbok-ri, Yonghyeon-myeon, Sacheon City.

At around 11:05 a.m. that day, Sacheon Fire Station, the police, and other relevant agencies dispatched rescue teams and began a joint search after receiving the missing person report. However, the dense vegetation and narrow mountain paths made the search difficult.

In response, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters deployed "Turi," a rescue dog belonging to the 119 Special Response Unit.

Turi, together with his handler, searched the mountain for A's scent and subtle traces.

A missing person discovered by 'Turi,' a rescue dog belonging to the 119 Special Response Team of the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters, and handler Seunghwan Kim is sitting in the bushes. Provided by Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters

Narrowing the search area little by little, Turi discovered A in the mountain bushes near Jeongsusa Temple at 3:30 p.m., two hours after deployment.

A was found sitting, looking exhausted, and missing her shoes.

Turi, an 8-year-old male German Shepherd, has been working alongside his handler, Seunghwan Kim, on deployment missions since December 2022.

Lee Kyungeun, head of the Gyeongnam 119 Special Response Unit, stated, "Despite the challenging terrain and limited time, Turi's quick and precise search abilities led to the success of this rescue. We will continue our best efforts to ensure that 119 rescue dogs play an even greater role on the front lines of protecting the lives of Gyeongnam residents through systematic training and professional management."