South Korea Rescues Survivor After 13 Hours Trapped in Subway Tunnel Collapse

A young excavator operator was pulled alive from the rubble after spending 13 hours trapped underground in a collapsed subway construction site in Gwangmyeong, South Korea.

Emergency officials confirmed that the man, in his 20s, was safely rescued in the early hours of Friday from a depth of approximately 30 meters. His identity has not yet been released.

The survivor had remained conscious throughout the ordeal and maintained communication with rescue teams, despite being partially buried beneath heavy debris. The operation was complicated by fears of additional collapses.

Using a crane to lift a 200-kilogram metal slab, Gyeonggi Special Rescue Team leader Lee Jun-hee and firefighter Jo Byeong descended into the collapsed tunnel. They carefully dug through the rubble with shovels and found the worker crouched, with his lower body trapped under soil and his upper body surrounded by broken debris. Despite the tight space, he was able to breathe and communicate.

Rescuers comforted the man as they worked to free him. “When he was finally pulled out, his parents screamed his name. It brought tears to our team,” said a local fire official. “We hope for his full recovery and look forward to seeing him again once he’s well.”

The search continues for another missing worker, a man in his 50s. Authorities have deployed seven search dogs and are preparing to use heavy machinery to clear more rubble in hopes of locating him.

The collapse occurred on April 11 at a construction site for the new Sinansan subway line in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. The incident caused part of a nearby intersection to cave in, damaging surrounding commercial buildings.

Authorities had already closed roads connecting Gwangmyeong and Anyang earlier that day after detecting signs of potential ground instability. Seventeen workers were inspecting the tunnel’s safety at the time of the collapse. Initially, five went missing, but three were later found safe.

The Sinansan subway line will span 29.7 kilometers, linking Seoul with satellite cities including Gwangmyeong, Ansan, and Siheung. Phase one, stretching from Sa District in Ansan to Yeouido Station in Seoul, is expected to begin service by the end of 2026.

(Sources: Yonhap, Korea Times)

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