India tunnel collapse: Ambulances on standby as rescue of trapped workers enters final stretch

Families have faced an anxious wait through the night with ambulances on standby

‘As much time is it take…’ International tunnelling Expert on the ongoing rescue operation at Uttarkashi

The operation to free 41 Indian tunnel workers has entered the final stage, officials say, with rescuers just a few metres away from the trapped men.

Ambulances are on standby and disaster response teams are ready to enter the tunnel entrance equipped with stretchers and other tools to carry the workers to safety.

The men have been trapped in the tunnel at Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand state for 11 days since a portion of the under-construction tunnel collapsed during a landslide on 12 November.

Anticipation is building up among the family members of the workers, many of whom are waiting outside the Silkyara tunnel entrance, as officials say they expect the workers to be out by the end of the day.

International tunnelling expert Arnold Dix, who reached the tunnel site this morning, told ANI that they are now close and it is like being at the “front door and ... knocking on it”.

“We know that the guys are there on the other side,” he said.

Key Points

• Rescue operation to be over ‘in the next few hours, or by tomorrow'
• Rescue operation in final stages
• Team of doctors to examine trapped workers before evacuating them
• CM reaches Uttarkashi as rescue operation reaches final stages
• First visuals of Indian workers trapped inside tunnel

[23 November 2023 03:24 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Rescue operation in final stages

The 41 trapped tunnel workers could be out today as the rescue operation has entered its final stages.

Several family members of the trapped men have been outside the tunnel this morning waiting with bated breath for their loved ones to be pulled out to safety.

Inderjeet, a brother of one of the trapped workers, told the Indian Express: “It will be Diwali for us if he comes out today.”

Girish Singh Rawat, a member of the rescue team, was quoted by the Hindustan Times early today as saying that the workers could be out within one to two hours.

“The rescue operation is almost in the last stage, I hope the result will come in one to two hours... a pipeline is being inserted to take out the workers... the steel pieces that were stuck in the debris were cut and removed,” Mr Rawat said.

[23 November 2023 02:54 · Maroosha Muzaffar]

Good morning and welcome to Independent’s live coverage of the Uttarakhand tunnel rescue operation.