Efforts Intensify to Rescue Three Men Trapped in Korat Train Tunnel
PUBLISHED: 28 Aug 2024 at 21:50
UPDATED: 28 Aug 2024 at 22:17
NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Rescue operations are ongoing as teams work to free three workers trapped in a collapsed railway tunnel in Pak Chong district. As of Wednesday, rescuers were within one meter of reaching one of the trapped individuals but faced challenges due to falling soil and rocks.
Adverse weather conditions forced teams to temporarily withdraw, but operations resumed as they continued to break through the debris obstructing their path. The Nakhon Ratchasima public relations office reported that vital signs from all three workers are still being detected, providing hope for their safe extraction.
Governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum emphasized the importance of safety for both the rescue teams and the victims, stating that shoring up the tunnel is crucial as falling debris poses ongoing risks. “Soil remains the main obstacle for our rescue efforts,” he noted.
Falling dirt has created voids within the tunnel, allowing light to reach rescuers, which further optimizes their operations. Scans indicate the proximity of the trapped workers: one is approximately 1.2 meters away, another four meters, and the third eight meters, according to the governor.
Of the three men trapped, two are Chinese—one a construction supervisor and the other a backhoe operator—while the third is a Myanmar truck driver. They have been stuck since the tunnel’s collapse occurred on Saturday night during the construction of the Sino-Thai high-speed railway, which is intended to connect Bangkok with Nong Khai province, adjacent to the Laos border.
Following the incident, officials remain optimistic about the ongoing rescue, recalling that the workers involved are trained for survival in collapse scenarios. Their vehicles are believed to have created protective space, enhancing the chances of survival.
