Bahrain: Crane gets stuck mid-air, workers rescued after gruelling 8-hour mission
Bahrain Civil Defence Force officers put their skills to full use yesterday as they lowered two men to safety after being trapped in a crane outside the 17th floor of a building in the Diplomatic Area following a harrowing 8-hour mission.
The heart-stopping moments occurred yesterday outside one of the tallest buildings in the Diplomatic Area. According to rescue officers, the two men, who were cleaning the building from outside, got stuck precariously on the 17th floor after the crane carrying them refused to move.
The elevated platform suddenly broke down and stopped mid-air, with all efforts to lower it failing. Aerial pictures showed the men clinging on the platform high-up in the air, waiting for rescue, with bated breath. In total, 29 Civil Defence officers and nine vehicles worked to bring the men down safely.
The General Directorate of Civil Defence said they were alerted of the incident at around 9 am. The information said a crane used for cleaning buildings in the Diplomatic Area in Manama had broken down, trapping two workers. Officers rushed to the scene immediately and formed three teams for the mission.
Meanwhile, the National Ambulance team also reached the scene. The first team of officers went to the 24th floor of the building and gave necessary directions to the others. The second team climbed to the 17th floor to ensure the crane remained stable during the rescue efforts.
Officers also monitored the health status of the workers trapped on the crane. The third team of officers remained stationed on the ground floor to manage the rescue efforts.
The teams used specialised equipment to reach the trapped men and successfully lower them.
The entire rescue process took over 8 hours. As soon as the workers reached the ground level, the National Ambulance team conducted necessary health checks to ensure the safety of the workers. Both the men are healthy and suffered no injuries from the accident.
