Snowfella - when you read the article in mjb's link, it becomes quite clear why they used elite troops for the job. Few others would cope with the conditions.
Very fraught mission and with considerable concerns at senior levels:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12294356
Now for an insensitive remark (for some I guess) but I fail to understand why we expose large numbers of people to such dangers in order to recover worm/fish food. Rescuing live people is a different story. Believe me, If I'm dead I don't want a group of people dying trying to recover my remains.