Rescuer workers in India have successfully managed to reach 41 people who became trapped in a Himalayan tunnel more than two weeks ago.
The 41 laborers, all men, found themselves trapped on 12 November as they were working to construct the tunnel in India’s northern Uttarakhand state.
More than 60 meters of broken rock, concrete and metal blocked the exit after the tunnel gave way, sparking an urgent rescue mission.
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Rescuers used heavy machinery to drill through the blockage, as well as drilling downwards through the mountain terrain in an effort to maximize chances of rescuing the men.
As the mission took place, the laborers received food, water and oxygen through a 53-meter-long pipe which was inserted through the debris.
Doctors on site also kept in regular contact with the men to help them stay in good health, offering tips on how to stay positive.
The first images of the men trapped in the mountain emerged last week, when a camera was fed through the pipe and captured footage of them wearing helmets and standing in a large cavern.
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A rescuer spoke to the men through a loudspeaker, saying: “Don’t worry, we’ll reach quickly. Show us you’re okay. Take the camera out (of the pipe) slowly. Show us each person’s face.”
After making progress through the debris, efforts to drill through the blockage were stunted when the machinery rescuers were using broke down just meters away from the group.
The fault forced rescuers to dig by hand and use other, riskier methods to try and save the men inside the tunnel.
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The rescue mission continued tirelessly for more than two weeks, until Avinash Kumar Saini, Uttarakhand government’s executive engineer, confirmed to CNN today (28 November) that drilling was complete.
Once the rescuer workers finished drilling, they were able to push a large pipe through the final part of the tunnel blocking the men from freedom.
The brother-in-law of one of the men trapped inside the tunnel said rescuers had gone inside to save the men, while 41 ambulances waited outside the tunnel to treat them when they came out.
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Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, shared the news of the success on X, writing: “The work of laying pipes in the tunnel to take out the workers has been completed. Soon all the labor brothers will be taken out."
Family members of those in the tunnel spent days by the entrance, praying for the safe return of those inside.
Topics: World News
Emily Brown