Indian Army mounts massive rescue effort after truck plunges into gorge in Arunachal Pradesh, 21 missing

Itanagar/New Delhi: The Indian Army on Thursday launched a large-scale search and rescue operation in the high-altitude Chaglagam region of Arunachal Pradesh after a truck carrying 22 workers from Tinsukia fell off a cliff along the remote Hayuliang–Chaglagam road, officials said.

The accident, believed to have occurred on the night of December 8 near KM 40, came to light only late on December 10 when the lone survivor managed to reach the Chipra GREF Camp and alerted authorities.

According to preliminary inputs provided by the survivor, the vehicle veered off the treacherous mountain road and plunged nearly 200 metres into a dense, inaccessible forested gorge.

The site, about 12 km short of Chaglagam, lies in a remote stretch with minimal connectivity.

Notably, no information about the missing workers had been reported by any local agency, contractor, or civil representative until the survivor’s arrival, prompting immediate mobilisation of rescue resources.

On December 11, the Indian Army’s Spear Corps deployed multiple search and rescue columns along with medical teams, GREF personnel, local police, NDRF members and the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Hayuliang.

“At 1155 hours, after four hours of intensive search and rope descent, the truck was spotted around 200 metres below the road near KM 40 in a re-entrant, inaccessible and not visible from helicopters or the road due to dense tree cover and thick foliage. Eighteen bodies have been sighted and are being retrieved using belay ropes,” an official said.

Dense foliage and deep terrain had earlier made the vehicle invisible from both the road and aerial reconnaissance.

So far, 18 bodies have been sighted at the accident site and are being retrieved using belay rope systems.

ADC Hayuliang has informed SP Anjaw, who has reached the site, while the District Medical Officer is moving to facilitate the evacuation of casualties and mortal remains

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), requisitioned by the Deputy Commissioner, is also moving towards the site.

Authorities have begun questioning the sub-contractor linked to the Zila Parishad Member of Chaglagam to verify the workers’ identities and confirm the exact number on board.

Despite harsh terrain, limited visibility and difficult weather conditions, the army and civil agencies continue to make all-out efforts to locate the remaining individuals and provide immediate assistance.

IANS