In a significant development, a team of experts engaged in rescuing the eight workers who have remained trapped for the past five days in the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel were able to reach the end of the tunnel and return, a senior police official said on Wednesday.

The teams so far were able to reach up to 50 meters before the end of the tunnel only due to muck and debris. “A 20 member team comprising NDRF, SDRF and Rat Miners were able to reach the last points of the (tunnel). But there was a lot of debris. They are working out how to go about,” Nagarkurnool Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad said.