High hopes as 13-day India tunnel rescue nears breakthrough

Drilling machine is metres away from where group of 41 men have been trapped since roof collapse

Hopes are high that in a few hours’ time the 41 workers who have been trapped in a tunnel for 13 days in north India will emerge to freedom and fresh air.

The mood at the scene – where heavy machinery and a more than 200-strong rescue team have been toiling without a break – was upbeat after a monumental and torturous operation.