Burmese victim confirmed dead in collapsed tunnel, 2 still missing

A rescue team confirmed the death of a Burmese victim trapped in the collapsed railway tunnel in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima. Meanwhile, the search for the other two victims, reported to be Chinese nationals, is still underway.

Rescuers from multiple organisations were deployed to the Thailand-China high-speed railway tunnel in the Chan Thuek sub-district of Nakhon Ratchasima to rescue three victims following the collapse in the early hours of Sunday, August 25.

The three victims were two Chinese men, Hu Siang Min and Dong Chinlin, and one Burmese man who remains unidentified. The Burmese victim was closest to the tunnel entrance, while the other two victims were said to be 8 and 14 metres away from him, respectively.

The rescue team reported yesterday, August 28, that they successfully located one of the victims and were very close to reaching him. They found the damaged truck in which the Burmese man was suspected to be trapped. They knocked on the vehicle and heard the victim knock back, confirming he was still alive.

It was believed that the first victim would be rescued last night. Unfortunately, the rescue team encountered a large rock blocking their path to the Burmese man.

Sadly, the rescue was unsuccessful. The rescue team confirmed this afternoon, August 29, that the Burmese national had died at the scene.

Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Governor, Chaiwat Chuenkosum, revealed in an interview with ThaiRath that the lifeless body of the Burmese man was found near the damaged truck. His body was transferred to a hospital for an autopsy to determine the cause of death and to confirm his identity.

ThaiRath reported that the truck was completely damaged and covered with dirt and a lot of rocks.

According to the governor, vital signs of the other two Chinese victims were still detectable but officials were unable to confirm whether they were alive. The rescue operation is continuing to save the two lives.

The rescue team has not yet adjusted the rescue plan.

UPDATE 3: Burmese worker found alive after 4 days in collapsed tunnel (video)

Following updates on the rescue mission in the collapsed railway tunnel in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima, the rescue team has located one of the three missing victims, a Burmese worker, alive. Discussions are now underway to plan his extraction.

The landslide occurred in the Thailand-China high-speed railway tunnel in the Chan Thuek sub-district of Pakchong district, Nakhon Ratchasima, at around 1am on Sunday, August 25. The incident happened while work was underway on the tunnel wall.

Three workers were trapped inside the collapsed tunnel. They have been identified as a Chinese supervisor named Hu Siang Min, a Chinese backhoe driver named Dong Chinlin, and a Burmese truck driver, whose name has not been disclosed.

The rescue team later detected vital signs from the three victims, each located in different spots. The first victim, believed to be the Burmese worker, was approximately 1.2 metres away from the detection device. The second victim was 8 metres away from the first, and the third victim was 14 metres further away.

The rescue operation has been ongoing for four days now. The latest update, at around 3pm today, August 28, confirmed that the first victim, the Burmese worker, is still alive.

Rescuers found a truck trapped in the collapsed debris and knocked on it to check if anyone was inside. The victim knocked back, confirming he was alive.

Former Minister of Transport, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, told Thai PBS that the team had not yet seen the victim and had only heard the knocking. Safely extracting the victim from the tunnel requires careful planning to prevent further damage.

KhaoSod reported that a medical team is prepared within the tunnel to assess the victim’s health condition. After providing initial first aid, the rescue team plans to transport him to Nakhon Ratchasima Municipal Sports Stadium, from where he will be transferred to Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital.

UPDATE 2: Rescue efforts intensify for rail tunnel trapped Thai workers

Rescue teams are working tirelessly to save three workers trapped inside the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail tunnel in Nakhon Ratchasima. Ekkarat Sriarayanphong, Chief of the Governor’s Office of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), provided an update on the situation yesterday, August 27, detailing the efforts being made to reach the workers.

Teams are carefully digging through the collapsed section of the tunnel under expert supervision to prevent further incidents. A significant portion of the collapsed earth had been removed by 5pm on Sunday, August 25, and an air pipe was being inserted to pump oxygen into the area where the workers were believed to be trapped. Only 20 metres remained to be cleared.

Acting Deputy Minister of Transport Surapong Piyachote expressed full support for the ongoing rescue efforts. He emphasised that worker safety is the top priority and has ordered strict safety measures to be implemented across all construction projects.

Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum is closely monitoring the situation. He has coordinated with the Urban Search and Rescue team (USAR Thailand), which has employed radar scanning tools to detect the vital signs of the three workers, suggesting they are alive.

“We are doing everything in our power to ensure the safety of these workers.”

The Disaster Response Association of Thailand reported yesterday that the USAR team, along with K9 units, has located the position of a buried excavator and truck. Efforts are ongoing to reach these vehicles as the rescue operation continues, reported Pattaya News.

Photo courtesy of Pattaya News

UPDATE 1: Workers found alive under collapsed tunnel at rail construction site

Three workers have been found alive under a collapsed tunnel at the high-speed rail construction site between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to retrieve them from 6 metres beneath the debris.

The incident occurred yesterday, August 25, at the high-speed rail tunnel construction site between the Janthuek and Klong Khananchit stations in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima. The collapse happened inside the third tunnel, which spans 1.5 kilometres, approximately 600 metres from the entrance. The tunnel caved in on a vehicle and three workers around midnight.

Following the collapse, construction company officials have been continuously searching for the missing workers. The district chief of Pak Chong, Kanatshanom Sricharoen and local government officials, including Kris Phunkasem, head of the Nakhon Ratchasima Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, have been actively monitoring the rescue efforts.

The Provincial Governor, Chaiwat Chuenkosum, also visited the site with the provincial police chief, Narongrit Dansuwan, to oversee the rescue operations. A command centre has been established at the Klong Khananchit railway station to coordinate the rescue efforts.

Rescue teams have been using pulse-detection equipment to locate the missing workers, believed to be trapped under the tunnel debris for over 24 hours. Officials have been praying for the workers’ survival.

According to the authorities on-site, the tunnel excavation involved removing three soil layers before installing support beams. During the excavation, soil from the first and second layers suddenly collapsed, burying two trucks and the workers.

Closely monitoring

Kanatshanom, who is directing the rescue operations, checked on the progress within the tunnel at 11pm. He informed the media at 4am today that Chaiwat, the provincial governor, has been closely following the situation.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department provided radar scanning equipment, which arrived at midnight and was immediately put to use. The equipment detected the vital signs of the three trapped workers.

Kanatshanom confirmed that pulse-detection equipment had arrived and was being used inside the tunnel. Throughout the night, rescue teams, including those with excavators, worked to remove the soil.

At 4.30am today, the equipment detected the workers’ pulses approximately 6 metres beneath the debris, indicating they were still alive. Ambulances and medical teams from Pak Chong Nana Hospital are on standby at the tunnel entrance.

The three missing workers include a Chinese supervisor, Hu Xiangmin, an excavator operator, Dong Xinlin, and an unidentified Burmese truck driver. Rescue teams work around the clock to safely extract them from the collapsed tunnel.

Emergency personnel remain on-site to provide immediate medical assistance once the workers are rescued. The efforts are ongoing, and the situation remains critical as rescuers strive to bring the workers to safety, reported KhaoSod.

ORIGINAL STORY: Tunnel collapse in Nakhon Ratchasima leaves three missing

A tunnel collapse at the Khlong Khanan Chit high-speed rail station in Nakhon Ratchasima left three people missing. The Nakhon Ratchasima governor ordered immediate rescue efforts. The incident occurred approximately 3 to 4 kilometres from the tunnel entrance.

Today, August 25, Chaiwat Chuenkosum, the Governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, instructed Kanachanon Srijaroen, the District Chief of Pak Chong, to inspect the site in Chanthuek subdistrict.

The collapse happened around 1am, as reported by Prangsawan Khongwatthana, the village head of Moo 2, Ban Tha Khip in Chanthuek, Pak Chong district. The tunnel forms part of the high-speed rail project connecting Thailand and China.

Upon questioning the project supervisor, it was revealed that the landslide occurred 3 to 4 kilometres from the tunnel entrance. Three individuals were reported missing: Hu Xiang, a Chinese national and project supervisor; Tong Xin Lin, a Chinese national operating an excavator; and an unidentified Burmese truck driver. The Sawang Witthaya Thammasatan Pak Chong Rescue team was called to the scene.

Initial reports stated that as of 1.30am, the landslide was ongoing, preventing any rescue operations. The company dispatched machinery to clear the area to facilitate the rescue of the missing people.

Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport, Pichet Kunathammarak confirmed the landslide inside the high-speed rail tunnel around 1am, which buried three workers. The affected area spans approximately 2 kilometres from the tunnel entrance.

Senior Executive Vice President of Nawarat Patanakarn Public Company Limited (NWR), Pasan Sawatburi suspects that the tunnel had collapsed during excavation work.

“The moment of the [tunnel] collapse was during deep excavation work, reaching 600 metres.”

NWR, the contractor for the project confirmed that there was no rainfall at the time and has yet to receive detailed reports on the exact cause of the collapse and is currently conducting a site inspection.

The tunnel work falls under Contract 3-2, covering the Muak Lek and Lam Ta Khong sections, with a total length of 12.23 kilometres. As of July 2024, the company had completed 74.06% of the construction, reported KhaoSod.

The high-speed rail project, a significant infrastructure initiative, aims to enhance connectivity between Thailand and China. The collapse highlights the risks associated with such large-scale construction projects, especially in challenging terrains.

Rescue teams are working against time to locate and save the missing workers, while relevant authorities and the construction company investigate the cause of the collapse to prevent future incidents.