The program, designed to prepare journalists for assignments in conflict zones, disaster areas and emergency situations, provides participants with training from expert police and military personnel.
A total of 25 journalists are taking part in the program, including nine AA staff members and 16 journalists from Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
On the sixth day of the program, participants received water survival training from teams under the Directorate of Protection of the General Directorate of Security.
The trainees were taken onto the water in an inflatable boat at Kesikköprü Dam, where they learned how to cope with hypothermia and reach the shore together without panicking.
Speaking to AA, marine police officer Tarık Çelik said the trainees were taught how to survive in water, evacuate a ship if necessary and take precautions during such situations.
Çelik said the training began with theoretical instruction, followed by practical exercises.
"This is an important and useful training course for war journalists. The trainees benefited greatly from the experience, both in terms of gaining experience in the water and managing their anxiety. At the end of the training, our divers explain in detail how participants should huddle together in the water and what measures they should take in the event of hypothermia," he said.
Marine police officer Olcay Karaduman said the training aimed to help participants act in coordination and cooperation with one another.
Karaduman said, "We first tried to help them overcome their anxiety and then showed them how to survive in water. Initially, the trainees had some difficulty getting used to the water, but once they overcame their fear, they huddled together and returned safely to shore without suffering from hypothermia. I congratulate our trainees. I believe they have had a highly productive training experience."
"Every correspondent should attend AA's training program"
AA correspondent Gökhan Çeliker, one of the participants, expressed his satisfaction at taking part in the war journalism training program, which he had long wanted to attend.
Çeliker said the water survival training had helped him understand the importance of teamwork.
"Every correspondent should attend AA's training program, whether they are working in the field, or may work in the field in the future. It is very important to know what you may encounter before going to a particular area. I would like to thank the entire AA Academy team for this training," he said.
Ha Nguyen Thi Ngoc, a journalist from the Vietnam News Agency, noted that the training was very useful and that on the sixth day, in particular, she had the opportunity to perform exercises in the water that she had never experienced before, gaining knowledge and experience regarding what to do in the event of potential accidents and emergencies.
Nguyen said, “I was a little scared when I first entered the water, but since we were moving as a group, my friends’ support gave me confidence. By moving with them, I was able to get back to shore. I had never received training like this before. I’ve mostly taken academic and theoretical courses. We used to see photos and read news stories about Syrian refugees and people seeking asylum as they made their way to Europe. I could feel what the journalists were going through. I’ve now learned what I shouldn’t do if I ever find myself in such a situation.”
