Fire and rescue department director-general Nor Hisham Mohammad said the risks need to be weighed against the probability of finding the victim. (Bernama pic)
PUTRAJAYA: The fire and rescue department has determined that it is too risky for divers to continue with the search and rescue (SAR) operation for the Indian national who was swallowed by a sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India in Kuala Lumpur last Friday.
Fire and rescue department director-general Nor Hisham Mohammad identified several risk factors, including strong underground water currents, limited space for rescuers, and the presence of debris and hard blockages in the search area.
“After tactical discussions and feedback from the two divers who entered earlier today, I have decided that it is too risky to continue diving to search for the victim,” he said.
“We made several attempts from 5pm yesterday until 1am today to break through the backlog (blockages). However, it was found to be extremely difficult to break the solidified fats, which are like concrete blocks.
“Even pulling them with ropes using up to eight people was unsuccessful. We found that there was no space for entry. The space was very narrow, and divers had to lie flat to enter.
“At the same time, the water level rose, so we agreed to withdraw the scuba team due to the high risks involved. That was the decision we made yesterday,” he told the media after attending the fire and rescue department’s monthly assembly today.
Nor Hisham said the fire and rescue department also deployed two underwater cameras in the SAR area, and the images captured included fragments of cloth that could not be identified.
“However, we cannot say if the pieces of cloth belong to anyone as various items were found in that space,” he said.
“So, that’s what we found. However, I would like to clarify that based on the camera footage, there was no image of a body because the water turbulence was strong,” he said.
He said the fire and rescue department would hold a meeting with the parties involved in the SAR operation at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) building today to determine the direction of the operation, including other methods that can be used to locate the victim and which roads will continue to be closed.
When asked if the rescue team is “at a loss” for methods to search for the victim, he said the existing search methods are too risky for his team and the risks need to be weighed against the probability of finding the victim.
He explained that he was left speechless while observing the SAR activities at 4am today because he was extremely concerned about the safety of the divers, who had to lie flat and crawl through the narrow area.
“When we saw the entry point was about two feet wide, we were really worried that they might get stuck. There was a ‘piston effect’ from the water, making it impossible for them to retreat, which is very dangerous,” he added.
When asked if there is still hope of finding the victim with the SAR operation having entered its eighth day, Nor Hisham said the chances are quite slim.
“With the current methods, we feel that the chances are slim unless we have other techniques,” he said.
In the incident on Aug 23, a tourist from India, Vijayaletchumy, 48, was walking down the street outside the Malayan Mansion when the sinkhole suddenly opened up.
The SAR operation was activated on the same day, involving personnel from various security forces and local authorities.
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