Hope remains as recent video reveals trapped laborers alive in Himalayan tunnel amid ongoing rescue efforts

Newly surfaced footage reveals the initial glimpses of numerous men ensnared within a cavernous Himalayan tunnel collapse, as an intricate and exasperating mission to liberate them reaches its tenth day. The video, transmitted via a camera threaded through a conduit by surface rescuers, exhibits the helmet-clad individuals situated approximately 60 meters (198 feet) into the mountain.

Since November 12, the 41 laborers who were trapped inside the collapsed tunnel have been provided with sustenance, water, and oxygen through the pipe.

Indian authorities have been diligently devising plans to liberate the individuals, which involve the installation of an additional pipe amidst the rubble, wide enough for them to maneuver through. However, the task of creating a passageway through the unstable terrain has proved to be quite challenging, resulting in frequent halts in the drilling process.

In a groundbreaking achievement for the operation, rescuers achieved their initial triumph on Monday evening. They successfully inserted a 53-meter (174 ft) pipe through the debris, enabling them to provide the trapped laborers with their first nourishing meal consisting of lentils, water, essential medicines, and life-sustaining oxygen.

State officials released a statement on Monday expressing the significantly amplified confidence in ensuring the safety of the trapped workers' lives. The news has generated immense joy and enthusiasm among the rescue teams, as well as the workers and their families, fostering a renewed sense of hope for alternative rescue possibilities. Although a make-shift hospital has been established at the entrance of the tunnels, an immediate rescue is not on the horizon, as workers persist in brainstorming various methods to extricate the trapped individuals.

A camera feed transmitted through a pipe inserted into the tunnel is displayed on a monitor in the video. A rescue official can be heard instructing the workers to pull the camera out, inquiring about their well-being, and requesting to observe other ongoing activities on the camera.

Uttarakhand Government Handout

A complicated rescue

Authorities made contact with the men shortly after the collapse and have since started an urgent operation to safely extract them, with the assistance of local police, India's Disaster Management Authority, and the State Disaster Response Fund.

Initially, rescuers tried to dig through the debris to access the trapped men, but their efforts were hampered by the slow progress due to additional rubble falling into the cavity.

A drill was subsequently brought in to attempt to create a sufficiently wide hole for the insertion of a pipe, enabling the men to crawl to safety. However, work was temporarily halted due to a landslide that complicated the rescue efforts, leading officials to conclude that the existing machine lacked sufficient power.

As frustration mounted among the concerned relatives gathered outside the entrance of the tunnels, authorities decided to have a high-powered drill flown in from New Delhi, the capital city, to initiate the construction of an escape pipe.

According to Reuters, a statement from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation revealed that on Friday, as the machine began working, a significant cracking sound was heard. This prompted the authorities to halt the drilling once again. The rescue team is now evaluating the possibility of drilling from three different angles, including vertically. Additionally, approximately 25 meters (82 feet) of debris have been penetrated by the specially designed rescue pipes.

Authorities say they are exploring all options to reach the men, including reaching out for international help to teams involved in other complex rescues.