The first of 41 construction workers who were stuck in a tunnel in northern India has been saved. They got trapped there because of a landslide on 12 November.
They will be taken out one by one using a large pipe that is being put through the rubble of the collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand state.
A person who knows a lot about digging tunnels said that rescuers were able to reach the group at 7:05 PM local time (1:35 PM GMT).
None of the men were hurt.
The rescue is being delayed because they have to cut through metal rods, and it is also taking longer because of loose soil and hard rock.
Officials are giving the men air, food, and water through a small pipe.
Rescuers made many plans to save the 41 men who were trapped.
The first thing was to dig into the debris from the tunnel entrance. After many problems, this method has finally made a big discovery today.
Plan B was drilling straight down through the hill above the tunnel. By Monday morning, they had dug 31 meters. The helpers figured out it would take them four days to get to the workers if nothing got in their way.
Alternatively, officials thought about drilling a hole that goes straight across to reach the trapped men, instead of following the main rescue route. Special tools were brought to the place just in case they were needed, but it looks like they won’t be needed after all.