After 11 days of intense search and rescue operations at the site of the collapsed 30-story unfinished building of the Office of the Auditor General of Thailand, rescuers have made the difficult decision to stop searching for survivors, RIA Novosti reports with reference to “Thai Rat TV”.
Specially trained rescue dogs and their handlers have been withdrawn from the scene of the tragedy. Now rescuers are moving to full-scale use of heavy equipment to clear the rubble, which they had previously used with extreme caution so as not to harm potential survivors.
According to estimates by the rescue operation's leadership, with the use of heavy equipment, the clearing and dismantling of all rubble could be completed within a week.
Bangkok Mayor Chatchat Sitthiphan confirmed to reporters on Monday that there was no sign of life under the rubble. “The chances of finding survivors have become very slim. Most likely, rescuers will find many bodies in the coming days”, the mayor told “Thai Rat TV”.
During the rescue operation after the building collapsed on March 28 as a result of the earthquake, 19 people were saved, of whom 8 are still in hospital. The bodies of 15 victims have been found, and more than 70 people are still missing.
