PUTRAJAYA: Footage captured by two underwater cameras sent down by the Fire and Rescue Department in the Masjid India search and rescue area showed unidentified pieces of cloth.
Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said the items were seen with other waste in the sewage channel.
"Although we captured an image of the cloth, we can't say at this moment to whom it belongs to because there are all sorts of waste in that channel.
"Based on the camera footage, there was no clear image of a body as the water turbulence was very strong," he told Berita Harian after the department's monthly assembly here today.
He said department deployed two underwater camera units to the SAR area, which captured several images, including the pieces of cloth.
He said a meeting was held this afternoon in Kuala Lumpur to determine the next steps and other methods for the SAR.
He said the department called off the diving operation in the SAR mission for the victim of the sinkhole tragedy in Jalan Masjid India early this morning, citing excessive risk.
He said the decision was due to the presence of hard obstacles, the narrow space and strong water current conditions in the sewage channel.
"We had a tactical discussion, and based on feedback from the two divers who entered the channel, I concluded it was too risky to continue with the dive or even to physically locate the victim," he said.
TENSE MOMENTS IN 4AM DIVE
Nor Hisham said two divers from the Fire and Rescue Department and a sewage company staff familiar with the area's design conducted the dive at 4am today.
After entering the sewage channel located about 18m from the incident site, it found there was no space to continue diving. The team was forced to crawl into the search location.
He added that the dive was also stopped due to rising water levels in the channel.
"When we sent the dive team at 4am, I was speechless and nervous because the area they entered was about 2 feet-deep, and they had to start by crawling.
"We were very concerned that they might get stuck; there was a piston effect from the water that prevented them from moving backwards, so we maintained constant communication with the divers through underwater telecommunications to ensure they were safe.
"At the 18m mark, it was too risky due to blockage that could not be passed through, and even when the divers tried to kick them, they wouldn't budge.
"If they kept going, they might be carried by the current, but getting back through that hole could be impossible due to the 'piston effect,' making it very dangerous," he said.
Nor Hisham further described the difficulty the team faced since yesterday.
"We made several attempts from 5pm yesterday until 1am today to break through the backlog (blockages). However, it was found to be impossible - extremely difficult to break the solidified fats, which are like concrete blocks. Even pulling them with ropes using up to eight people was unsuccessful," he said when quoted by Bernama.
When asked if there is still hope of finding the victim after the SAR operation has entered its eighth day, Nor Hisham told Bernama that the chances are quite slim.
"With the current methods, we feel that the chances are slim unless we have other techniques," he said.
On Aug 23, an Indian woman identified as G. Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, disappeared after falling into the eight-meter-deep sinkhole while on her way to a nearby temple.
The SAR operation was activated on the same day, involving personnel from various security forces and local authorities who employed multiple techniques, including jetting, flushing and water suction to clear the incident site.