Rescue operations to free 41 workers trapped in a collapsed Himalayan tunnel have entered their third week, with the Indian military bringing in specialized equipment on Sunday to aid the challenging endeavor.

The Indian Air Force has been actively involved in transporting critical supplies to the remote mountain location, including a superheated plasma cutter designed to clear metal girders and construction vehicles blocking the rescue route.

Engineers initially attempted to reach the trapped workers horizontally using a giant earth-boring machine, but the machine snapped just nine meters from breaking through. 

The plasma cutter will now be employed to remove the broken drill and metal obstructions before digging continues manually.

Vertical drilling has also commenced, creating an 89-meter-deep shaft that poses a risk due to its proximity to the area that has already collapsed. Additionally, a third route is being excavated from the far end of the tunnel, an estimated 480 meters long.

The workers were first seen alive on Tuesday through an endoscopic camera sent down a thin pipe used to deliver essential supplies. 

Authorities have assured the families of the trapped men that they are in good spirits and have established a basic telephone exchange for communication.

The rescue operation has been plagued by delays and setbacks, including falling debris and equipment malfunctions. Hopes of an imminent breakthrough were dashed on Wednesday, prompting a government statement acknowledging the “challenging Himalayan terrain.”

Family members of the trapped workers have expressed frustration with the slow progress, questioning why their loved ones remain confined after initial reports suggested quick rescue. 

Syed Ata Hasnain, a senior rescue official and retired general said “A very difficult operation is going on,” he told reporters.

“When you do something with mountains, you cannot predict anything,” he added. “This situation is exactly like war.”