Shortly before breakthrough: Rescue workers in India are still five meters away from buried victim of Thai para-athlete who shoots bride and himself at their own wedding

The lengthy rescue operation to save 41 construction workers from a collapsed road tunnel in India is apparently on the verge of a breakthrough. The rescuers, now digging by hand, are now only five meters away from the buried victims.

The Chief Minister of the state of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, told reporters at the scene on Tuesday. A breakthrough is expected “soon.”

“The escape route has been prepared up to 52 meters into the tunnel and the breakthrough will take place at 57 metres,” Puskar Singh Dhami said. The rescue operation is “expected to be completed shortly.” He did not initially provide a specific time frame.

On Monday, the local government leader promised that all workers would be rescued. On Monday, rescue teams were just nine meters away from the trapped construction workers. Using a special drill, they quickly pushed through tons of earth and rubble and by then had constructed a steel pipe through which the trapped people could crawl to freedom. But then the drill hit thick metal beams and buried construction vehicles and broke.

On Monday they wanted to use a hand drill to try to reach those who had been stuck for more than two weeks. At the same time, work was underway on a vertical shaft and access from the other side of the tunnel. Time is of the essence: the northern Himalayan state of Uttarakhand is now experiencing bitter cold.

The tunnel partially collapsed early in the morning of November 12 during shift change. Fortunately, all construction workers survived the accident. Since then, they have been supplied with food and medicine through narrow pipes. Authorities had assured several times that it would not take long before everyone trapped would be rescued. (sda/afp)