Mexico pays homage to 'heroic' dog that died in Türkiye rescue efforts

Mexico has paid tribute to a military rescue dog that died while searching for survivors buried under the rubble of the earthquake in Türkiye.

Defence Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval announced the death of the German shepherd called Proteo at President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's daily news conference on Monday.

"You accomplished your mission... thank you for your heroic work," the military said on Twitter.

Proteo was one of more than a dozen rescue dogs dispatched by Mexico along with 130 military personnel following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that killed more than 36,000 people in Türkiye and Syria.

"You were always a strong, hard-working dog who never gave up. I will always remember you," one rescuer who served alongside Proteo said in a video.

READ MORE: 'Are we going to die?': Trauma haunts children who survived Türkiye quakes