PUBLISHED: 27 Aug 2024 at 10:27
NAKHON RATCHASIMA – A rescue tube is currently being deployed through the debris of a collapsed railway tunnel under construction in Pak Chong district, with hopes of reaching three trapped workers by Tuesday.
Authorities, including Pak Chong district chief Kanatchon Sricharoen, reported that scanning equipment and a sniffer dog detected signs of life on Monday evening, boosting the morale of rescue teams.
As of late Monday night, vital signs were identified from one of the locations, although no signals were detected from the other two. Rescue teams are working swiftly to break through the wreckage in a race against time to save the victims.
The collapse occurred approximately 1.6 kilometers from the tunnel entrance, located near the Khlong Khanan Chit train station, with the workers believed to be trapped around 600 meters deeper inside.
The provincial public relations office confirmed on Tuesday morning that the 1.2-meter diameter rescue tube struck what is presumed to be one of the workers’ vehicles at around 11:30 PM on Monday.
To enhance air supply within the tunnel, two additional narrower tubes are being inserted through the larger rescue tube.
Rescue operations also include reinforcing the tunnel’s concrete walls to prevent further collapses, as reports indicate that soil and rocks continue to fall into the area.
This incident involves a section of the Sino-Thai high-speed railway project linking Bangkok to Nong Khai province, which borders Laos. The three workers trapped include a Chinese backhoe operator, a Chinese foreman, and a Myanmar truck driver, who became stranded when a section of the 8-kilometer tunnel collapsed during construction on Saturday night.
The rescue mission commenced shortly after the collapse was discovered.
