At least 21 labourers from Assam are feared dead after a vehicle carrying daily-wage workers from Tinsukia district plunged into a gorge in Arunachal Pradesh. The tragic incident occurred on the night of December 8 along the Hayuliang-Chaglagam road near the China border. Due to the remote location, poor road conditions, and lack of network connectivity, the accident was reported to authorities only on Wednesday evening.

The Army and local authorities launched a search and rescue operation early on Thursday morning. A video that surfaced on Wednesday showed a lone survivor, badly injured, sitting on the edge of the road. The labourer had miraculously managed to climb back after the truck veered off the mountain path and plunged into the gorge.

According to an official press release, the vehicle carrying 22 labourers fell nearly 200 metres into a dense and inaccessible forested gorge. The truck was transporting the workers to a construction site in Arunachal Pradesh when the accident occurred. The fall, estimated at more than 1,000 feet, left the majority of passengers trapped and critically injured.

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So far, at least 18 bodies have been recovered, and 19 victims have been identified. All belonged to the Gelapukhuri Tea Estate in Assam’s Tinsukia district. The names of the identified labourers include Budheswar Deep, Rahul Kumar, Samir Deep, Joon Kumar, Pankaj Manki, Ajay Manki, Bijay Kumar, Abhay Bhumij, Rohit Manki, Birendra Kumar, Agar Tanti, Dhiren Chetia, Rajani Naag, Deep Gowala, Ramchabak Sonar, Sonatan Naag, Sanjay Kumar, Karan Kumar, and Jonas Munda.

Rescue teams continue their operations amid challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions. Authorities have urged caution along the remote route and are coordinating with local administration to provide relief and assistance to the victims’ families in Assam. The full extent of the casualties is yet to be confirmed.

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