Rescue work in final stretch at Silkyara tunnel, just 13 metres of debris left

Uttarkashi/New Delhi: Ambulances were on standby and a special ward at a local health centre kept ready as a multi-agency effort to rescue 41 men trapped in the Silkyara tunnel appeared close to success on Wednesday evening.

Till 6 pm, up to 44 metres of an escape pipe had been inserted into the debris of the collapsed stretch of the tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district, an official update said in Delhi.

Earlier, officials said the American-made auger machine had to drill through a 57 metre stretch of debris to reach the workers, who were trapped when a portion of the under-construction tunnel collapsed 10 days back.

By this count, just 13 metres of debris remained to be drilled through. A team of 15 doctors, including chest specialists, has been deployed at the site in anticipation of the evacuation.

Twelve ambulances were on standby at the spot, and the plan was to keep a fleet of 40 ready