Nine workers and engineers stranded in the middle of Hyderabad’s Mir Alam Tank were safely rescued by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) early on Monday, January 26, after their boat developed a mechanical failure.
The group, comprising engineers, soil-testing experts and labourers, had ventured into the lake on Sunday, January 25, as part of preliminary survey work for a proposed bridge across the Mir Alam Tank. Trouble began in the evening when their boat’s engine failed while they were returning to the shore. Efforts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, and attempts to manually push the boat also failed due to a thick carpet of water hyacinth that had engulfed large portions of the lake.
As darkness fell, the situation became increasingly tense. The stranded workers, immobilised in the middle of the lake and aware of frequent crocodile sightings in the Babanagar and Bahadurpura areas, panicked and dialled the police emergency helpline ‘100’.
The distress call was relayed to the HYDRAA Disaster Response Force (DRF) control room, which immediately launched a rescue operation. According to a media release, HYDRAA Special Forces Officer Jameel and team in-charge Swami remained in constant phone contact with the stranded workers to keep them calm and prevent panic.
“Using cell phone signals and flashlights to navigate through the dense water hyacinth, which made movement extremely difficult, the DRF team carried out the rescue in two trips and safely evacuated all nine individuals,” HYDRAA said.
The rescued team was conducting surveys for the construction of a Rs 319.24 crore bridge across the Mir Alam Tank. All nine workers were brought to safety without injuries, bringing an end to what had turned into a tense overnight ordeal during an otherwise routine field visit.