Tragic End for Workers Trapped in Thai Tunnel Collapse
Three foreign workers, trapped for over five days in a
collapsed train tunnel in Thailand, have been found dead, despite relentless
rescue efforts. The workers - two Chinese nationals and one from Myanmar - were
initially believed to be alive, but hopes dwindled as days passed without
successful contact.
The incident occurred in Pak Chong district, approximately
200 kilometers (124 miles) northeast of Bangkok, where the tunnel was under
construction as part of the Thailand-China high-speed railway project. Late on
Saturday night, a landslide triggered the collapse, trapping the men inside.
Rescue teams, including officials from the State Railway of
Thailand (SRT) and a Chinese disaster response unit, worked tirelessly around
the clock to reach the trapped men. Efforts to pump oxygen into the tunnel were
made, but it remains uncertain whether the air reached the workers. The ongoing
landslide and unstable conditions inside the tunnel made the rescue operation
extremely challenging.
On Thursday, the body of the Burmese truck driver was
discovered buried beneath a mound of soil and rocks. By early Friday morning,
the bodies of the two Chinese workers, a supervisor and an excavator operator,
were located about 25 meters from the collapse site. The men were found close
to each other, suggesting they had been working together at the time of the
collapse.
Despite the use of scanners, sniffer dogs, and other
detection equipment that had indicated signs of life earlier in the week, the
workers could not be saved. Rescuers faced significant challenges, including
falling debris that continually blocked their attempts to reach deeper into the
tunnel.
Thailand’s caretaker Interior Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul,
acknowledged the difficult conditions and the limitations of engineering in the
rescue effort. He emphasized that the safety of both the trapped workers and
the rescuers was paramount, with supporting structures being built to prevent
further collapses.
The bodies were recovered on Friday, and an investigation
into the incident has been launched. Construction work on the tunnel has been
suspended until further notice.
