Tree halts truck’s plunge into 500-foot-deep gorge, gives rescuers time to save driver

The goods container was left suspended against the tree, preventing it from sliding towards a further 500-foot-deep gorge, according to the rescue team. The driver was eventually pulled out after a challenging five-hour operation involving rescuers, a crane service and the police

NAVI MUMBAI: A tree in the middle of a gorge made the difference between life and death for a truck driver who remained trapped inside his vehicle after it plunged down a 250-foot-deep gorge along the Pune–Kolad route on Wednesday evening.

Tree halts truck’s plunge into 500-foot-deep gorge, gives rescuers time to save driver

The goods container was left suspended against the tree, preventing it from sliding towards a further 500-foot-deep gorge, according to the rescue team. The driver was eventually pulled out after a challenging five-hour operation involving rescuers, a crane service and the police.

The accident occurred around 6.15 pm near Shankar Temple, between Pahur Phata and Valanjwadi village, within the limits of Valanjwadi village. The trailer was travelling from Sutarwadi towards Kolad when its brakes allegedly failed. According to the accident report registered by the police, the vehicle veered off the road and fell approximately 40 feet down the roadside.

The injured were identified as driver Sonu Bhalchandra Rawat, 35, and cleaner Kamlesh Giridhar Rawat, 20, both residents of Udaygarh, Tehsil Binoy, in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district. While Kamlesh managed to get out of the vehicle, Sonu remained trapped inside the trailer.

The Sahayadri Vanyajiv Rakshanarth Samajik Sanstha (SVRSS) rescue team, with assistance from a private crane service in Kolad and the Kolad police, launched a coordinated operation to stabilise the container and reach the driver. “The container was lodged in an extremely dangerous position, and the priority was to stabilise it before attempting to reach the driver. Every step had to be taken after assessing the risks and ensuring the safety of the rescue personnel,” said a member of the rescue team.

The operation involved securing the container, accessing the trapped driver and extricating him under difficult conditions. Rescue personnel carried out repeated safety assessments before proceeding with each stage of the operation. “Rescuing the driver from such a depth required patience, planning and coordination. The combined efforts of the rescue team, crane service and police helped us complete the operation safely,” the rescue team member said.

Both Sonu and Kamlesh were taken to the Primary Health Centre in Ambewadi, Roha, for treatment. The police recorded the motor accident report at 12.18 am on Thursday. Police said the reported cause of the accident was brake failure.