VIJAYAPURA: The rescue operation of 15-month-old Satwik Mujagond from an open tubewell in Lachyan village of Indi taluk in Vijayapura district has captured the attention of the entire country. Though Satwik survived miraculously, doctors believe that the boy had met all the required factors needed to stay alive even in such a hostile and treacherous situation.
Satwik fell into the tubewell at around 6.15 pm on Wednesday and was pulled out alive after nearly 20 hours by rescue teams. Speaking to The New Indian Express, noted paediatricians Dr Mallanagouda Patil and Dr Mujahid Bagwan said that four critical factors could have saved the baby: Sufficient and timely oxygen, the position of the boy after falling into the tubewell, the boy not sustaining any internal injury to the head or ribcage, and finally, completing the rescue operation within 30 hours.
“Miraculously, the baby had met all four factors. When humans fall into deep tubewells that have a limited oxygen supply, they die of asphyxia. Normally, the person can survive for a longer time, even if he or she gets about 21% of oxygen. In the case of Satwik, first, he had not fallen too deep, where he would not get any oxygen. Secondly, the external oxygen supply was started quickly, which helped the boy get adequate oxygen,” Dr Patil said.
Dr Bagwan explained that even if the person falls upside down, he or she can still survive if his posture remains straight without any choking and bends in his or her organs, mainly the neck.
“In the case of the baby, he fell straight with no choking to his neck. This led him to get oxygen to his vital organs, mainly the brain,” he said.
Mentioning the third factor, the doctors said that the boy seemed to have not sustained any head injury, which leads to bleeding or breaking of bones, mainly of ribcage which makes breathing extremely difficult and painful.
“The boy seemed to have not sustained any such major injuries. Moreover, a normal human can survive without water and food for at least three days. In the case of a child, if the baby remains healthy and is not suffering from malnourishment, then the baby can survive for a longer time. The fat reserves of the body started covering into food for humans. In the case of this baby, the rescue operations were completed in less than 30 hours, which helped him come out alive,” the doctor said.
THE 21-HR SAGA
15-month-old Satwik Mujagond falls into an open tubewell at 6:15 pm on Wednesday
His parents notice it at 6:30 pm
Authorities informed, rescue operation starts at 7 pm. Supply of oxygen into tubewell begins
Earthmovers reach the spot at 7:30 pm, digging of parallel trench starts
SDRF, NDRF teams reach the site late night and early Thursday morning, respectively
The operation continues till 2 pm on Thursday with a parallel trench of 21 feet
The rescue personnel faced Basalt rock formation which is very hard to break. This delayed the rescue operation
Finally, after nearly 21 hours of grueling operation, the boy is rescued
