Authorities confirmed Tuesday that all 41 construction workers trapped inside a tunnel that collapsed in the Himalayas after a landslide on Nov. 12 have been rescued.

“The happiness on the faces of the workers and their families is the biggest inspiration for me,” said Pushkar Singh Dham, chief minister of Uttarakhand, where the building was underway, in a message published on X (previously known as Twitter).

“It is with great relief that all 41 workers trapped in the tunnel under construction in Silkyara (Uttarakashi) have been safely rescued.” “The temporary medical camp is where all of the labor brothers are getting their initial health checks,” he stated.

According to Reuters, rescuers bore through rock and concrete to reach the workers, and the evacuation began more than six hours later once they burst through the rubble. After 17 days trapped in the collapsing building site, the workers were finally liberated.

According to The Guardian, the first worker emerged at 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday. The freed workers were greeted with floral garlands, and cooked meals were being prepared outside the chamber. According to a video that BBC News published, the workers received encouragement and applause as ambulances were transporting them away from the scene.

Jyotish Basumatary, Sanjay Basumatary’s brother, told The New York Times, “I will accompany Sanjay when he gets out.” At the moment, I am at ease. We are excited and relieved to hear that the experience will be over shortly.”

According to the Associated Press, a landslide on Nov. 12 caused a section of the 2.8-mile tunnel the workers were building to cave in roughly 650 feet from the entrance. Workers survived on food and oxygen delivered through steel pipes, according to the news agency.

According to CNN, early rescue efforts were impeded when the heavy gear required to drill through the rubble failed, forcing rescuers to dig with their hands. When the digging was completed, CNN said, a big pipe was brought in through the exit shaft’s final section, allowing the trapped workers to finally escape.

“I am relieved and delighted to learn that all the workers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand have been rescued,” Droupadi Murmu, India’s president, said on X.

“Their travails over 17 days, as the rescue effort met with obstacles, have been a testament to human endurance,” she concluded. The country salutes their fortitude and thanks them for constructing crucial infrastructure far from their homes, albeit in considerable personal danger. I thank the crews and all professionals who worked tirelessly to complete one of the most challenging rescue missions in history.”

On X, Dham stated that the rescue mission “became a wonderful example of humanity and teamwork.”

According to the Times, the bulk of the stranded laborers were from India’s poorest areas, and their families said the workers earned roughly $250 each month.