20.10.2026 22:01
In the flood two days ago in the Sapanca district of Sakarya, a family of eight stranded in Fevziye Neighborhood was rescued by an aerial line set up over the stream by AFAD teams. AFAD official Murat Ergül, who sang a lullaby and soothed 8-month-old baby Zeynep back to sleep after she woke during the evacuation, said that the moment they handed the baby to her mother was a priceless happiness.
In the Sapanca district of SAKARYA, AFAD Supervisor Murat Ergül, who rescued 8-month-old baby Zeynep, who was stranded due to flooding, with a zip line set up over the stream, said, "I sang a lullaby and patted and shushed the baby with a fatherly instinct, helping her fall back asleep. Getting her back to sleep made us happy. Of course, the most important thing for us was the priceless happiness when we handed the baby to her mother."
THEY SET UP A ZIP LINE OVER THE STREAM
AFAD teams rescued a family stranded due to flooding in Fevziye Neighborhood of Sapanca district after heavy rains that were effective in Sakarya 2 days ago. Murat Ergül, who works as a Nature Search and Rescue Supervisor at the AFAD Sapanca Unit Directorate, and his teammates moved the family to a safe area with a zip line set up over the stream. During the rescue, Ergül also took 8-month-old baby Zeynep in his arms. The baby, who was evacuated while sleeping, woke up, and Ergül sang her a lullaby and put her back to sleep.
HE SANG A LULLABY WITH A FATHERLY INSTINCT
Murat Ergül, a Nature Search and Rescue Supervisor at the AFAD Sapanca Unit Directorate, recounted what happened: "I have been working at AFAD as a Search and Rescue Supervisor for 20 years. As you know, due to the flood, there were many reports in Fevziye Neighborhood. Upon the report that an 8-person family was stranded, we went there. We carried out a joint operation as the Water Surface and Nature Search and Rescue teams. One person from the Water Surface Search team needed to cross to the other side. Our colleague Mert Çömlekçi swam across. Then we set up what we call a zip line and crossed over with the other teammates. After that, we moved the mother across before the rest of the family. Then we moved the child named Ayaz across. After that it was baby Zeynep's turn. When I first took her in my arms, she was sleeping, she was asleep. Naturally, we woke her up while attaching her to the system. I wanted to put her back to sleep. With a fatherly instinct, I sang a lullaby and patted and shushed the baby, helping her fall back asleep. I felt the happiness of putting the baby back to sleep. Truly, getting her back to sleep made us happy. Of course, the most important thing for us was the priceless happiness when we handed the baby to her mother."