Landslide Buries Workers Inside High-Speed Rail Tunnel Construction in Nakhon Ratchasima

[Georgealbert]

Preliminary examinations of the body of the first workers, at the scene, by medical staff, suggests that he died 3-5 days ago.
 

The Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital will conduct a thorough autopsy to determine and confirm the exact cause and time of death.

 

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul commented and confirmed the that initial findings did indicate the worker died from suffocation 3-5 days ago.

 

 

-- 2024-08-29

 

 

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[Georgealbert]

On the afternoon of August 29, the command centre again sent a specialist USAR team, with K9 search dogs and collapsed structure robot search drone team to the area to search for the remaining two victims inside the railway tunnel.

 

[MikeandDow]

18 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

On the afternoon of August 29, the command centre again sent a specialist USAR team, with K9 search dogs and collapsed structure robot search drone team to the area to search for the remaining two victims inside the railway tunnel.

 

Why is the Air fan off  this is a very strange rescue

[billd766]

On 8/27/2024 at 5:34 AM, Luuk Chaai said:

I got worried for a moment ,,     thought it might actually be an all out effort to get it done ...

 but,  not dissapointed,   there are several slackers sitting around nose to mobil screen

So what?

 

Perhaps they have done their work and are on a break period and relaxing. perhaps they are waiting to go to the front and start their shift. Not everyone works for every second of every minute of every hour.

 

Many people take a break now and again.

[snoop1130]

UPDATE

 

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.

 

By Petch Petpailin

Photo via Facebook/ ทีมพีอาร์การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย

 

-- 2024-08-29

 

 

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[billd766]

On 8/28/2024 at 6:18 PM, Georgealbert said:

This is my personal opinion on this rescue (this is not the view of the AN news team, but my own).

 

The incident occurred after the roof collapsed, I have seen no details of the geological problem which caused this. 
 

It does appear that the workers were possibly in an area of unsupported ground, which is normally a no go zone, as before collapsing this type of roof should have shown some bowing or sagging, which should have been noticed on daily safety and geo tech inspections or by work teams.

 

Questions on safety standards that can be asked are, no self rescue devices on workers, no emergency refuge chamber given the distance of travel, lack of helmet lamps, workers in short sleeves and no tag board system, as they did not even know the name of the Myanmar worker..

 

it is unclear if the site had emergency plans in place and what liaison had taken place between other agencies, or if any drills or training had taken place.

 

Once the workers became trapped, there were 2 options, vertical or horizontal rescue. Given the unstable ground conditions and possible lack of suitable equipment, vertical access looked a non-starter.

 

it is strange that no communications equipment, radios, were in place, to establish initial contact with the missing workers. Also there is no evidence that the construction company had access to a horizontal drill rig, which could have initially drilled small exploratory holes to help located and contact the missing workers.

 

The USAR teams are well equipped, with life detection radar, endoscope cameras and seismic sound devices. The problem is gaining access through a very unstable earth pile, which continued to collapse. Concrete was injected in the collapsed area to try to help stabilise the rubble and the first plan, which failed, was the small circular pipe. The use of a construction of an old style mining access tunnel seemed the next logical and safe step, and clearance of the earth fall was never going to be achieved.

 

Incident command has been a problem, as there seems no structure in place with too many agencies wanting be involved at the response level.

 

Those agencies need to work together in the crisis command, supporting, not running the incident response, and provide the logistical support and deal with family and media requirements. Clear and concise media briefings would help convey a message that the rescue is under control.

 

Too many unrealistic promises have been made, setting rescue timings, which are always doomed to fail.

 

The good sign is that the first worker is found and alive, so hope remains for the other two.

 

 

I agree that there are too many chiefs, too many agencies, too many plans and not enough co-ordination. There are also too many lookie sees cluttering up the area, especially local and national politicians. They also have too much influence and power, so unfortunately they cannot be kicked off the site and let the guys who are actually doing the rescue can get on with their job without being interfered with.

 

Many of them have no ideas of their own and are simply in the way.

[chickenslegs]

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

Preliminary examinations of the body of the first workers, at the scene, by medical staff, suggests that he died 3-5 days ago.

But yesterday it was reported that he was knocking inside the vehicle. Chinese whispers? (no pun intended).

 

 

[Georgealbert]

46 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

Why is the Air fan off  this is a very strange rescue

Good spot.
 

In all other pictures and videos it has clearly been in use. The open end of the ventilation stops short of where the collapsed occurred, which is why I believe these workers were under unsupported ground’. There is no evidence of damaged ventilation ducting on the ground in that area.

 

 

The only reason I can think of why the ventilation is off, is that the rescue team want a quiet period, all work and workers has been stopped and withdrawn, to allow better readings on the life detector radar and I would assume that seismic sound devices are being deployed. Providing the team has gas meters measuring O2 levels, it is would be safe, as only takes a radio call to turn the ventilation fan back on, if O2 drops. I wonder if earlier false reading on the life detection radar was caused by vibration, post-mortem body reaction or even animal/rodent/insect activity.

 

The video is from the public relations department of Nakhon Ratchasima Province and the official is the Governor, so maybe the team’s deployment was not until the ventilation was turned back on. I am not aware of any Thai rescue teams that have long duration breathing apparatus, such as the Drager BG4.

 

 

[Georgealbert]

5 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

But yesterday it was reported that he was knocking inside the vehicle. Chinese whispers? (no pun intended).

 

 

I believe the problem, is that a deep tunnel, like any underground mine is a strange place where sounds are often difficult to define, from echos and background noise. Noise underground is what started the ancient myth of the ‘tommy knockers’.
 

It could also been wishing thinking from the rescue personal, as there was only a very limited access to the vehicle and what was reported by the few rescuers who reach that point could have grown like a ‘ Chinese whisper’ (no pun intended), and details exaggerated as it was passed along.

[MikeandDow]

amateurs

4 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Good spot.
 

In all other pictures and videos it has clearly been in use. The open end of the ventilation stops short of where the collapsed occurred, which is why I believe these workers were under unsupported ground’. There is no evidence of damaged ventilation ducting on the ground in that area.

 

The only reason I can think of why the ventilation is off, is that the rescue team want a quiet period, all work and workers has been stopped and withdrawn, to allow better readings on the life detector radar and I would assume that seismic sound devices are being deployed. Providing the team has gas meters measuring O2 levels, it is would be safe, as only takes a radio call to turn the ventilation fan back on, if O2 drops. I wonder if earlier false reading on the life detection radar was caused by vibration, post-mortem body reaction or even animal/rodent/insect activity.

 

The video is from the public relations department of Nakhon Ratchasima Province and the official is the Governor, so maybe the team’s deployment was not until the ventilation was turned back on. I am not aware of any Thai rescue teams that have long duration breathing apparatus, such as the Drager BG4.

 

 

I have seen those detector radar in Mongolia copper mine told they are not worth the money very unreliable I hope they have O2 gas meters  I would think the Fire dept would have the Drager BG4 breathing equipment, this to me is a very Flip Flop rescue attempt by amutures   

[Georgealbert]

Just now, MikeandDow said:

amateurs

I have seen those detector radar in Mongolia copper mine told they are not worth the money very unreliable I hope they have O2 gas meters  I would think the Fire dept would have the Drager BG4 breathing equipment, this to me is a very Flip Flop rescue attempt by amutures   

Very few fire services anywhere in the world have long duration breathing apparatus, like BG4, as they are such a specialist piece of equipment. Normally found where you have mines, long tunnels or underground train systems, or where there are long access routes.

 

Life detection radar research is mainly based and tested on collapsed structure rescue, such as building collapse after an earthquake. Using it here is better than nothing, as it has clearly identified the location of the missing workers, but was unable to define if the victim was living or not.

[MikeandDow]

4 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Very few fire services anywhere in the world have long duration breathing apparatus, like BG4, as they are such a specialist piece of equipment. Normally found where you have mines, long tunnels or underground train systems, or where there are long access routes.

 

Life detection radar research is mainly based and tested on collapsed structure rescue, such as building collapse after an earthquake. Using it here is better than nothing, as it has clearly identified the location of the missing workers, but was unable to define if the victim was living or not.

 

4 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Very few fire services anywhere in the world have long duration breathing apparatus, like BG4, as they are such a specialist piece of equipment. Normally found where you have mines, long tunnels or underground train systems, or where there are long access routes.

 

Life detection radar research is mainly based and tested on collapsed structure rescue, such as building collapse after an earthquake. Using it here is better than nothing, as it has clearly identified the location of the missing workers, but was unable to define if the victim was living or not.

Well all i can say is the Fire dept in OZ have them we where trained by the fire dept in the closed

circuit breathing app, before going on the rigs Blood heavy   mind you thinking about it it was not Drager gear can not speak  for hear

[Georgealbert]

Deputy Prime Minister Follows Up on High-Speed Train Tunnel Collapse, Encourages Rescue Teams Amid Ongoing Search

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, along with Arsi Sumpantarat, Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration, and Chaiwat Junthirapong, Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, visited the site, at 15.00 on August 29, of the high-speed train tunnel collapse in Moo 2, Ban Thaheep, Chanthuek Subdistrict, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. This marks the third consecutive day of their visit as they continue to monitor the rescue efforts.

 

During the visit, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin and his team received an update on the operation's progress. He also offered words of encouragement to the rescue teams, who are risking their lives to carry out the mission. Despite not detecting any signs of life from the two remaining victims trapped in the debris, Anutin reassured that the search would continue until the victims are found.

 

Anutin reported that the body of the first victim has been recovered. According to the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the deceased was found outside of a truck, with the cause of death potentially linked to several factors, including dehydration, starvation, and suffocation. The body has been sent to Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital for an autopsy to confirm the cause and time of death.

 

Regarding the two remaining victims, both of whom are Chinese nationals—a construction engineer and a backhoe driver—Deputy Prime Minister Anutin stated that their locations have been identified. However, the Life Locator, a radar device used to detect movements beneath the debris, has not detected any signs of life, given that the incident occurred over 100 hours ago. This diminishes the likelihood of survival, but the search will continue.

 

Anutin emphasised the importance of safety during this operation, noting that experts, doctors, and rescue teams are working under a temporary structure designed to prevent further collapses. He highlighted the need to adhere to international rescue standards and acknowledged the advice of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanes Weerasiri, President of the Council of Engineers, who provided guidance on the operation. Anutin expressed his gratitude to the rescue teams and workers who have been relentlessly working under dangerous conditions from the beginning.

 

Triyasuli Taisaranakul, Secretary to the Minister of Interior, added that all parties involved, including engineers, rescue teams, and medical staff, agreed that to avoid confusion, it is crucial to clarify the role of the Life Locator device. It detects movement, not vital signs, meaning the detected signals could be caused by shifting rocks, soil, or sand, or possibly reactions from the deceased's body. The successful recovery of the first victim's body demonstrated that the device could accurately locate victims. The search for the remaining two victims will continue, utilising both radar technology and K-9 units.

 

 

-- 2024-08-29

 

 

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[josephbloggs]

5 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

Why is the Air fan off  this is a very strange rescue

Seriously give it a rest. This is a very unusual collapse in Thailand, the rescue teams are doing their best and have brought in as much specialist equipment and people as they can at short notice. hundreds of people are doing their best but all you can do is snipe, it is pathetic and disrespectful.

Ever thought the fans are turned off as well as other equipment so they can listen for signs of life?  It is on in all the other pictures. I am sure that is standard practise every so often to have silent moments to iisten for signs of life.

Maybe the people there are trained, maybe they are volunteers and untrained, but it seems to me they are using the best equipment available, radar, signs of life scanners, dogs, etc. All you can do is make snide comments. Why not get in there and volunteer if you know better than the people who are putting their lives at risk to try and rescue people?  Or you just prefer to do your rescue from your keyboard?

Honestly I hate people like you who belittle people who are putting their lives at risk and trying their best. All from behind the safety of your keyboard. All you have done throughout this entire thread is belittle, snipe, put heroic people down, and it is sad sad sad. You are not there, you are not doing anything. Give it a rest. 
 

[MikeandDow]

8 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Seriously give it a rest. This is a very unusual collapse in Thailand, the rescue teams are doing their best and have brought in as much specialist equipment and people as they can at short notice. hundreds of people are doing their best but all you can do is snipe, it is pathetic and disrespectful.

Ever thought the fans are turned off as well as other equipment so they can listen for signs of life?  It is on in all the other pictures. I am sure that is standard practise every so often to have silent moments to iisten for signs of life.

Maybe the people there are trained, maybe they are volunteers and untrained, but it seems to me they are using the best equipment available, radar, signs of life scanners, dogs, etc. All you can do is make snide comments. Why not get in there and volunteer if you know better than the people who are putting their lives at risk to try and rescue people?  Or you just prefer to do your rescue from your keyboard?

Honestly I hate people like you who belittle people who are putting their lives at risk and trying their best. All from behind the safety of your keyboard. All you have done throughout this entire thread is belittle, snipe, put heroic people down, and it is sad sad sad. You are not there, you are not doing anything. Give it a rest. 
 

So you are saying we can not post In a Public forum i think you should pull your head in and go back to your cave 

There is nothing Unusual about this collapse but the performance of the company, the preparedness of the rescue, Hiso hindering the Rescue, No safety awareness, if there are people there and untrained they should NOT be there simple as that, Thailand needs to wake up in regard to Safety    

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
 

Tragic Tunnel Collapse Rescue Operation Concludes: Three Workers Found Dead After 126 Hours

 

Picture showing the access through which the last two bodies were reached.

 

In a heartbreaking conclusion to a 126-hour rescue operation, three workers trapped inside a collapsed railway tunnel have been found dead. Rescue teams encountered numerous challenges in their efforts to recover the bodies and are now preparing to remove them from the site.

 

Ekarach Sriarayapong, Head of the Office of the Governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), provided an update on the situation. The incident occurred on August 24 at 23:40, when the tunnel collapsed due to a soil subsidence, trapping three workers inside.On August 29, at 11:00, the first body was successfully recovered by the SRT rescue team in collaboration with the Hunan Sunshine Rescue Team from China.

     

Sadly, at approximately 06:00 August 30, two more bodies were discovered. The deceased were identified as Mr. Hu Xiangmin, a Chinese national and supervisor, and Mr. Tong Xinlin, a Chinese national and excavator driver. Rescue teams have been working tirelessly to dig through the soil and construct support structures to prevent further collapses as they attempt to retrieve the bodies.

 

The SRT expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and thanked all rescue teams, government officials, and private sector personnel involved in the operation.

 

The collapsed tunnel, part of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project, is located in the Klong Pai area, near Klong Khananchit in Chanthuek Subdistrict, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The incident has highlighted the difficulties faced by rescue teams, including ongoing soil slides from the top of the tunnel, which significantly delayed recovery efforts.

 

Rescue operations were also hindered by a rock layer blocking the life-saving pipe, forcing teams to switch to constructing support boxes to stabilise the area and protect against further soil and rock falls.

 

The recovery operation, which lasted 126 hours, has now ended in tragedy. The SRT is committed to supporting the families of the victims during this difficult time.

 

-- 2024-08-30

 

 

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[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

In a heartbreaking conclusion to a 126-hour rescue operation, three workers trapped inside a collapsed railway tunnel have been found dead

To be honest it's not surprising... 

[Georgealbert]

This video shows the restricted and difficult access the USAR had to use to reach and locate the 2 victims.

 

 

[MikeandDow]

46 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

To be honest it's not surprising... 

Agree could have all been avoided if only Safety protocols had been implemented

[Georgealbert]

Rescue Mission Ends, Investigation Underway

 

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul announced on August 30, the conclusion of the rescue operations at the site of the collapsed high-speed rail tunnel in Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima. The collapse, which occurred four days ago, claimed the lives of three workers, all of whom have now been recovered.

 

The final two bodies were discovered earlier on August 30, following the recovery of the first body the dat before. Medical examinations confirmed that all three victims had perished, with initial reports indicating that the first worker died from asphyxiation. The cause of death for the other two is expected to be confirmed later on August 30, by the Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital.

 

Minister Anutin expressed his deep condolences and highlighted the tireless efforts of the rescue teams, comprising both government and private sector personnel, as well as volunteers. Despite the complex structural conditions and the dangers involved, the teams worked diligently to ensure the safety of all involved in the operation. The mission was supported by the Council of Engineers of Thailand, whose president, Thanet Veerasiri, provided crucial advice during the past three days.

 

 

With the conclusion of the rescue efforts, the responsibility for the site has been handed over to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the contracting company. The Director-General of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare is overseeing the provision of compensation and legal assistance for the victims' families, in coordination with the Social Security Office and the contracting company.

 

Minister Anutin also thanked Chaiwat Chuenkosum, Governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, and the provincial administration for their leadership throughout the crisis. He acknowledged the contributions of various agencies, including the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), which deployed Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams, and support from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

 

“This incident serves as a somber lesson for all parties involved. We must study how to prevent such tragedies in the future and develop faster rescue methods. However, I can assure you that every possible measure was taken during these past four days,” Minister Anutin stated. Moving forward, the site will be secured for further investigation by the police and SRT officials to determine the cause of the collapse.

 

 

-- 2024-08-30

 

 

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[MikeandDow]

11 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Rescue Mission Ends, Investigation Underway

 

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul announced on August 30, the conclusion of the rescue operations at the site of the collapsed high-speed rail tunnel in Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima. The collapse, which occurred four days ago, claimed the lives of three workers, all of whom have now been recovered.

 

The final two bodies were discovered earlier on August 30, following the recovery of the first body the dat before. Medical examinations confirmed that all three victims had perished, with initial reports indicating that the first worker died from asphyxiation. The cause of death for the other two is expected to be confirmed later on August 30, by the Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital.

 

Minister Anutin expressed his deep condolences and highlighted the tireless efforts of the rescue teams, comprising both government and private sector personnel, as well as volunteers. Despite the complex structural conditions and the dangers involved, the teams worked diligently to ensure the safety of all involved in the operation. The mission was supported by the Council of Engineers of Thailand, whose president, Thanet Veerasiri, provided crucial advice during the past three days.

 

 

 

With the conclusion of the rescue efforts, the responsibility for the site has been handed over to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the contracting company. The Director-General of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare is overseeing the provision of compensation and legal assistance for the victims' families, in coordination with the Social Security Office and the contracting company.

 

Minister Anutin also thanked Chaiwat Chuenkosum, Governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, and the provincial administration for their leadership throughout the crisis. He acknowledged the contributions of various agencies, including the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), which deployed Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams, and support from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

 

“This incident serves as a somber lesson for all parties involved. We must study how to prevent such tragedies in the future and develop faster rescue methods. However, I can assure you that every possible measure was taken during these past four days,” Minister Anutin stated. Moving forward, the site will be secured for further investigation by the police and SRT officials to determine the cause of the collapse.

 

 

-- 2024-08-30

 

 

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I would be very surprised if this investigation  is made public,  he talks the talk but that's it, there is no implementation of a safety culture in Thailand. And now there is talk about a 300mega watt Nucular Power station  I can imagine the safety protocols,  well extra fish heads for the soup

[pacovl46]

On 8/29/2024 at 4:34 AM, MikeandDow said:

Feel sorry for the guys trapped but they have no chance with a bunch clowns doing this rescue

Like you can expertly diagnose the situation and what needs to be done from the comfort of your armchair....

[Luuk Chaai]

22 hours ago, billd766 said:

So what?

 

Perhaps they have done their work and are on a break period and relaxing. perhaps they are waiting to go to the front and start their shift. Not everyone works for every second of every minute of every hour.

 

Many people take a break now and again.

and if it was you on the other side of the blockage....?

[MikeandDow]

22 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

Like you can expertly diagnose the situation and what needs to be done from the comfort of your armchair....

No from Experience

[pacovl46]

38 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

No from Experience

Were you there and have examined the site? If not, then you can't possibly know what the situation is like.

[MikeandDow]

11 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

Were you there and have examined the site? If not, then you can't possibly know what the situation is like.

don't need to be there, been in the same situation a few times over the years  i think you never been working in a hard rock mine or you would know the first rule !!!  and any blind fool  can see from the Photos there WAS NO safety protocols in place 

And how I can possible know been working in mines all over the world as Quality and Safety Manager for the last 20yrs some good some bad mines last position was the worlds biggest copper mine so i can say i know a little about what i talk  can post my CV if you want.

It was pretty obvious that there WAS no Training given to theses  guys as they would still be alive The First and cardinal rule is YOU NEVER GO UNDER UNSUPPORTED GROUND  theses guy did

look at the photos where did they find the guys where is the Safety gear (self rescuers, Tag locators,work boot, long sleeved shirts, long pants,) Why no refuge, why No tag board can go on and on will Thailand learn NO !!!shamefull   

[Georgealbert]

There is some negative comments in this topic. Let me give my analysis of the rescue.

 

1. The crisis side of this response, was very unprofessional and too many top officials making poor statements that raised unrealistic hopes.

 

2. The safety standards of the construction work is far below western standards.

 

3. This incident was a tunnel, not a working mine, which had a big impact on the available logistics for the rescue.

 

4.The initial rescue attempt was by the construction company, who tried the only action available, which was to try to dig the missing workers out. This was not possible because the earth pile was too unstable and the rescue attempt just caused further collapse.

 

5. If this was a mine, there would probably been access to horizontal drill rigs, which could have drilled to establish contact with the missing workers. But even in a mine this would take 12 to 24 hours to set up. If wider bores were needed, these would have to either been sourced worldwide or constructed, 5 to 7 days minimum.

 

6, The rescue planning was then given to the specialist teams, SRT, Chinese team and DDPM USAR team.

 

7. All suitable technology was deployed to locate the missing workers, life detection radar, seismic sound devices, endoscope cameras and K9 teams.

 

8. The location of the missing was establish, but the readings gave false hope, that movement was detected. This movement could have been from many things, such as vibrations in the tunnels, movement of earth pile, post mortem body gases, animal/rodents, etc.

 

9. The fallen earth had to be stabilised and this was done by injection of concrete, use of shotcrete and stacking of sand bags. This concrete injection later slowed down process, but had to be done.

 

10. The initial plan was push a 1.2 m pipe through the fallen soil. This is similar to what can be achieved by using a horizontal drill rig. This started well, but after hitting a solid rock wall in the earth pile the plan had to change.

 

11. The rescue teams were small, and had to use the work force available, there was no time to change the safety standards, in normal use at the tunnel.

 

12. Any rescue plan is always under review, and will be changed and developed as the rescue goes on. The teams when faced with new conditions withdrew, discussed and replanned.

 

13. Any rescue plan was always going to be very limited as the only way to access the workers was through the existing tunnel. There were no top, side or rear options possible.

 

14. Specialist independent engineering and geo tech experts were on site and advising the rescue teams.

 

15. The next plan was to manually dig, using metal framed pit prop with a wooden roof ceiling. This was slow, difficult and hot work, but it is the solution that finally allowed the recovery of the workers.

 

16. Tunnel and mining accidents are fairly rare, but do happened in very country. Yes China and Russia have the worse safety records, but incidents can and do occur anywhere.

17. Many people have experience of working underground, but the skill set and knowledge to plan a very difficult, complex and protracted incident is very different. The roles of a  mine ERT (emergency response team)  Captain, Superintendent or Manager is very specialised.

 

18. No additional injuries were reported during the rescue and everyone involved would have worked long exhausting hours.

 

19. This type of collapse is normally only survivable if the workers are trapped in a space beyond the collapse and not under it.

 

20. The autopsy reports, I believe, will show that the workers died in the early stages of the incident and no rescue attempt was going to find them alive.
 

21. All credit  to the rescuers for bringing the bodies out, which is not always possible.(i.e Pike River, New Zealand 2010 were the workers who died have never been recovered).

This is my personal view, not that of the AN news team.

[MikeandDow]

10 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

There is some negative comments in this topic. Let me give my analysis of the rescue.

 

1. The crisis side of this response, was very unprofessional and too many top officials making poor statements that raised unrealistic hopes.

 

2. The safety standards of the construction work is far below western standards.

 

3. This incident was a tunnel, not a working mine, which had a big impact on the available logistics for the rescue.

 

4.The initial rescue attempt was by the construction company, who tried the only action available, which was to try to dig the missing workers out. This was not possible because the earth pile was too unstable and the rescue attempt just caused further collapse.

 

5. If this was a mine, there would probably been access to horizontal drill rigs, which could have drilled to establish contact with the missing workers. But even in a mine this would take 12 to 24 hours to set up. If wider bores were needed, these would have to either been sourced worldwide or constructed, 5 to 7 days minimum.

 

6, The rescue planning was then given to the specialist teams, SRT, Chinese team and DDPM USAR team.

 

7. All suitable technology was deployed to locate the missing workers, life detection radar, seismic sound devices, endoscope cameras and K9 teams.

 

8. The location of the missing was establish, but the readings gave false hope, that movement was detected. This movement could have been from many things, such as vibrations in the tunnels, movement of earth pile, post mortem body gases, animal/rodents, etc.

 

9. The fallen earth had to be stabilised and this was done by injection of concrete, use of shotcrete and stacking of sand bags. This concrete injection later slowed down process, but had to be done.

 

10. The initial plan was push a 1.2 m pipe through the fallen soil. This is similar to what can be achieved by using a horizontal drill rig. This started well, but after hitting a solid rock wall in the earth pile the plan had to change.

 

11. The rescue teams were small, and had to use the work force available, there was no time to change the safety standards, in normal use at the tunnel.

 

12. Any rescue plan is always under review, and will be changed and developed as the rescue goes on. The teams when faced with new conditions withdrew, discussed and replanned.

 

13. Any rescue plan was always going to be very limited as the only way to access the workers was through the existing tunnel. There were no top, side or rear options possible.

 

14. Specialist independent engineering and geo tech experts were on site and advising the rescue teams.

 

15. The next plan was to manually dig, using metal framed pit prop with a wooden roof ceiling. This was slow, difficult and hot work, but it is the solution that finally allowed the recovery of the workers.

 

16. Tunnel and mining accidents are fairly rare, but do happened in very country. Yes China and Russia have the worse safety records, but incidents can and do occur anywhere.

17. Many people have experience of working underground, but the skill set and knowledge to plan a very difficult, complex and protracted incident is very different. The roles of a  mine ERT (emergency response team)  Captain, Superintendent or Manager is very specialised.

 

18. No additional injuries were reported during the rescue and everyone involved would have worked long exhausting hours.

 

19. This type of collapse is normally only survivable if the workers are trapped in a space beyond the collapse and not under it.

 

20. The autopsy reports, I believe, will show that the workers died in the early stages of the incident and no rescue attempt was going to find them alive.
 

21. All credit  to the rescuers for bringing the bodies out, which is not always possible.(i.e Pike River, New Zealand 2010 were the workers who died have never been recovered).

This is my personal view, not that of the AN news team.

 I think that this a fair assessment, the only  thing i would like to point out is the lack of training and safety protocols which was pretty evident by the company.  Why did these guy go under unsupported ground because they were fools or had no training  I only hope that the lessons learnt will be implemented   Thailand need to raise its Safety awareness People should be asking if i do this is any harm coming to me   you see it every day in Thailand look at the girl with her arm trapped in a mincer where a simple TAG out lock could have saved her arm it very shameful  

[john donson]

guess just slow digging the bodies up was calculated to be cheaper then a fast expensive rescue... what will be the fine ?  30k for the family ?

[josephbloggs]

46 minutes ago, john donson said:

guess just slow digging the bodies up was calculated to be cheaper then a fast expensive rescue... what will be the fine ?  30k for the family ?

Stupid post. And disrespectful to the people who risked their lives trying to recue them in difficult circumstances. Where do you people get off?