All 41 Trapped Indian Construction Workers Rescued Alive After 17 Days

In a remarkable feat of resilience and determination, Indian rescuers successfully rescued all 41 construction workers who had been trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in the Himalayas for a gruelling 17 days.

The arduous operation, which began on November 12, 2023, concluded on November 28, 2023, with the safe extraction of each worker, ending a harrowing ordeal that captured the nation’s attention.

The workers, employed by a construction company building the Char Dham highway in Uttarakhand state, were excavating a 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) tunnel when a portion of the mountainside gave way, trapping them underground. Rescue efforts were immediately initiated, with teams working around the clock to drill through the debris and create a passage to reach the trapped workers.

As the days turned into weeks, the rescue operation faced numerous challenges, including the treacherous terrain, the ongoing threat of landslides, and the limited access to heavy machinery.

However, the rescuers persevered, employing a combination of traditional digging methods and innovative techniques, such as using “rat miners” – skilled labourers who could squeeze through narrow tunnels – to reach the trapped workers.

On November 28, after 17 days of relentless efforts, the rescuers finally reached the workers, who were found to be in surprisingly good health, considering the circumstances. All 41 workers were safely brought to the surface and transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation and treatment.

The successful rescue of the 41 workers was hailed as a triumph of the human spirit and a testament to the dedication of the rescue teams. Their efforts drew praise from across India and beyond, as they demonstrated the unwavering resolve of individuals working together to save lives.

According to BBC, the citizens were extracted one by one via a 90cm (3ft) diameter pipe inserted through the rubble of the collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand state.

A tunnelling expert who spoke on the development said that the rescuers managed to break through to the group at 19:05 local time (13:35 GMT).