Search for woman thought to have fallen into sinkhole turns to recovery effort.
Rescuers anticipate needing an additional day of excavation to locate a missing woman, believed to have fallen into a mine after a sinkhole opened in Marguerite, Pennsylvania. Authorities have indicated that the search has likely transitioned into a recovery effort.
"Unless it's a miracle, most likely this is a recovery," said Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Stephen Limani.
Elizabeth Pollard, 64, was reported missing Monday night after she went out to search for her cat. Officials suspect she fell into a 30-foot (9m) deep sinkhole connected to an abandoned mine that may have collapsed beneath her.
At a press conference Wednesday, Mr. Limani explained that oxygen levels in the mine had dropped since the search began.
"I know we have a lot of hope, and maybe there's still a glimmer, but based on oxygen levels—even with us pumping oxygen into the mine—it’s lower than what would sustain life. It’s been difficult," he said.
The two-day search faced challenges on Wednesday as unstable conditions in the mine rendered it unsafe for rescuers to enter.
"Because of the mine's fragile state, we've had to alter our approach," Mr. Limani said. "Initially, we were using suction methods and water to clear debris, but now we need to excavate a much larger area—more than four times what we originally planned—to stabilize the mine for recovery efforts."
Despite deploying cameras and microphones into the mine, rescuers have yet to find definitive evidence of Mrs. Pollard's presence, although a shoe has been spotted twice in the debris.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mrs. Pollard's son, Axel Hayes, shared his anguish in an interview with CBS News, saying, "I’m upset she hasn’t been found yet. I just hope she’s alive, that my niece still has a grandmother, and that I still have a mother to talk to."
The family has been informed that the operation is now focused on recovery.
Mrs. Pollard’s car was discovered early Tuesday behind Union Restaurant in Marguerite, about 40 miles (65 km) east of Pittsburgh. Her five-year-old granddaughter was found inside, unharmed but cold.
Officials believe the sinkhole likely formed as Mrs. Pollard stood atop it while searching for her cat, Pepper, and they hold out hope that she may have found shelter in an underground void.
"The sinkhole appears to have formed at the time Mrs. Pollard was walking around," Mr. Limani said Tuesday. "There’s no evidence it existed beforehand."
Over 100 people initially joined the search, and while surface temperatures remain below freezing, conditions inside the sinkhole are warmer. Authorities have also confirmed no presence of hazardous gases in the mine.
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