India Collides With Time To Save 41 Trapped Miners

JAKARTA - Authorities in the Indian Himalayan are trying to make a breakthrough in an effort to save 41 workers who have been trapped for more than two weeks in a collapsed tunnel. They are now only a few meters away to be saved.

"Almost 52 meters have been completed (paired with pipes). It is estimated that there will be a break-in of up to 57 meters," said Pushkar Singh Dami, Chairman of the State Minister Uttarakhand, to reporters at the scene as reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Tuesday, November 26.

A massive rescue operation began in the Uttarkashi district on November 12 when the Silkyara Tunnel under construction collapsed, leaving 41 workers trapped. They were able to survive thanks to supplies sent through the pipeline.

The rescue operation received a lot of interference, thus delaying the rescue of workers.

Previously, about 60 meters of land needed to be cleared in order to pass through the pipeline so that it could reach the trapped workers, rescue workers said.

Authorities deployed people called "rat miners" who drilled rocks and pebbles using their hands on Monday, November 27 evening.

Rat miners mostly drill manually on narrow lanes and mostly work in mining.

The Indian government said the scheduled rescue schedule could fluctuate due to technical disturbances, challenging Himalayan terrain, and an unexpected state of emergency.