Search for trapped miners stalled

ITOGON, Benguet – Rescue operations for 14 other miners trapped at level 700 mine tunnel at Gold Field, in Poblacion, Itogon were suspended yesterday afternoon when heavy rains again swelled the risky underground tunnels.

Hopes of swifter operations with the help of Navy frogmen and their diving equipment and expertise dimmed as one of the Special Weapons and Action Group (SWAG) was hurt when he slipped inside the tunnel.

This, as the third cadaver of one of the remaining 14 miners spotted two days ago has not been brought out from the tunnel, bringing less and less hope of finding those miners trapped there since Monday night alive.

So far, only Joel Bulga from Aglipay town, also in Quirino province and Vincent Himmayod from San Dionisio, Nagtipunan town, Qurino province were brought out late Thursday and late Friday afternoon, successively.

Continuous rains have dampened the spirits of rescuers and waiting family members as SWAG gears were pulled up from the tunnel yesterday afternoon upon suspension of operations.

The water in level 700, where the 14 others are believed to be holed in, has swelled, said Regional Disaster Coordinating Council chairman Chief Superintendent Eugene Martin.

The health department has been monitoring the water in the tunnel as they already took samples, as Dr. Antonio Bautista of the DOH-CAR admitted ‘there is already a slim chance of finding someone alive underground, based on past experiences.’   

Even with the SWAG, Martin said, rescuers must have to walk through the tunnel from the portal some three hours and walk again some 300 feet down to level 700.