Rescuers are trying to pump water out of the collapsed tunnel of a hydropower plant in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong while drilling comtinues to gain access to the 12 workers who are still alive after being trapped there since Tuesday.

>> 12 workers trapped in Vietnam tunnel collapse are alive>> Rescuers struggle to save 11 trapped in Vietnam tunnel collapse It is expected that they will be taken out of the collapsed section tomorrow, December 19, said Le Quang Hung, Deputy Minister of Construction, who has been on the scene to coordinate rescue efforts.  Deputy Minister Hung said priority has been given to drilling to pump water from the area where the workers are to keep them from getting cold before being rescued. Accordingly, holes have been created in three directions to create access to the closed-off section, which is located about 500 meters from the tunnel opening, Hung said. “Water is rising in the collapsed tunnel section, so we are trying to pump water out to ensure safety for the trapped workers while waiting to get them out.” At 8 pm Wednesday, water had risen to 1.2 meters high, but luckily all 12 of the trapped workers  remain safe, although they were very cold, Hung said.  

The pipe seen in the upper part of the photo is for pumping water out of the tunnel, while the other pipe is for transmitting milk and other food to the trapped workers (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

Efforts to pump water out continued but by 11 pm rescuers had still not removed all of it. Rescuers have continued to transfer milk and other food into the tunnel through a 6-cm wide pipe to feed the trapped workers, while drilling to create space to reach the victims and get them out continued.

The Mining Rescue Center of the Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Group on Wednesday sent a 10-member team to Lam Dong to support the ongoing rescue efforts, said Pham Van Huyen, the center’s director. Today, the center will send 10 more specialists to the scene, Huyen said. Professional mining rescuers from the center are digging an underground route to remove the victims out safely, Hung said. “It will take at least 48 more hours [from 8 pm December 17] to get access to the victims and rescue them,” the official added.

Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien (R) gives condolenes to the wife of one of the 12 trapped workers (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

The accident occurred at 7:15 am on Tuesday when a 20-meter-long section of the under-construction tunnel of the Da Dang-Dachomo hydropower plant in Lac Duong District, in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, collapsed.

Right after the incident, provincial authorities mobilized more than 200 firefighters, rescue workers, traffic police and medical staff to join the rescue mission. Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang, Minsiter of Construction Trinh Dinh Dung, and Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien arrived at the scene on Wednesday to take part in the coordination of rescue efforts. Below are the names of the 12 trapped workers: 1. Pham Xuan Dang, 50, from northern Vinh Phuc province 2. Nguyen Anh Tuan, 33, from north central Ha Tinh province 3. Pham Viet Lanh, 20, from central Nghe An province 4. Pham Viet Nam, 41, from Nghe An 5. Dang Thi Hong Ngoc (female), 26, from Nghe An 6. Truong Tuan Viet, 30, from Hanoi 7. Nho Van Tuong, 28, from northern Ha Nam province 8. Hoang Tien Doan, 25, from northern Nam Dinh province 9. Hoang Anh Van, 34, from Nam Dinh 10. Hoang Dinh Huong, 30, from Nam Dinh 11. Hoang Dinh Thinh, 28, from Nam Dinh 12. Nguyen Van Quang, 38, from Ha Tinh

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