No rescue for three days Man dies inside pit [Archives:2002/19/Front Page]

archive
May 6 2002

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A 35-year-old Sanaa man is dead and his 30-year-old friend remains stranded deep below street level after the two of them fell into a pit on Thursday.
Ridhwan Saleh Ahmed was killed as a result of his fall into the pit on Hadda Street.
Walls of the pit collapsed leading to Ahmeds fateful fall along with his friend Fahmi Saleh.
Saleh was slightly injured and was forced to stay three days beside the body of his friend until citizens could eventually pick them up from the bottom of the hole.
In their attempt to rescue the pair, citizens involved in the operation also got trapped inside the hole when the inner walls collapsed again.
The civil defense infantry was informed of the incident but remained silent, Mohammed Mubark, a victims relative said.
He said that the Ministry of Public Works sent two shovels, but couldnt do anything for the victims.

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Talking to a Times reporter who lowered himself into the pit to interview him, Saleh said was in a very bad situation because his friend died before his eyes while he couldnt help.
Im facing death beside my friends body because of the unavailability of equipment to help us come out from this sink, Fahmi told the Times.
Colonel Faysal al-Halabi, said, civil defense in Yemen is unqualified and cant help, even though this type of rescue operation should be simple. How the hell would our authorities would react if a disaster happened in our country?, al-Halabi asked.
At the scene of the accident we did not see a single civil defense soldier, but a few heavily armed patrol cars were there.
A citizen expressed concern that the two shovels used for the rescue operation may further worsen the situation if not used properly.
Inhabitants of the zone expressed their dismay at the silence of the authorities.
Three days passed without moving a finger to help the victims. Yet, a soldier said that they have done what they can.
Even the minister of interior and the Central Securitys staff brigadier had visited the scene.


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