By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Three Foreign Workers Die After Being Trapped in Collapsed Thai Tunnel Despite Lengthy Rescue Efforts
Three foreign workers, trapped for over five days inside a collapsed train tunnel in Thailand, have been found dead despite extensive rescue efforts, Thai authorities have confirmed. The victims, two from China and one from Myanmar, were believed to be alive as recently as Thursday.
The tunnel collapse occurred last Saturday in Pak Chong district, approximately 200 km (124 miles) northeast of Bangkok. The tunnel, part of the Thailand-China high-speed railway project, collapsed due to a landslide around 23:40 local time (16:40 GMT).
Rescue teams, including officials from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and a Chinese disaster response unit, worked tirelessly throughout the week, attempting to save the trapped workers. They tried to pump oxygen into the tunnel, though it remains unclear if the workers received any of the air.
On Thursday, rescuers discovered the body of a Burmese truck driver buried beneath soil and rocks. By Friday morning, the bodies of the two Chinese workers, a supervisor and an excavator operator, were also recovered about 25 meters from the collapse site.
Rescue efforts were challenging due to continuous landslides that repeatedly blocked access, slowing progress. On Wednesday, rescuers reportedly came within a meter of one of the men and believed they heard faint sounds from the trapped workers. Scanners and sniffer dogs detected vital signs, raising hopes that the workers might still be alive.
Thailand's caretaker Interior Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, stated that rescue operations were hindered by engineering limitations, as the team had to dig cautiously to prevent further tunnel collapses. The rescuers also had to construct 3 meter (9.8 feet) high support structures for their own safety.
The bodies of the three men were finally retrieved on Friday. Thai police have launched an investigation into the incident, and construction work around the tunnel has been suspended.
