Kyodo News

A dramatic situation unfolded near Tokyo, Japan, when a 74-year-old truck driver became trapped in a large sinkhole that suddenly appeared at an intersection in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, on January 28, 2025. Despite tireless rescue operations over the next two weeks, authorities were unable to locate the driver, resulting in the decision to bring the search to an end.

The Formation of the Sinkhole

On the morning of January 28, a substantial sinkhole suddenly formed at a busy intersection in Yashio, swallowing a three-ton truck and its driver. Early reports indicated that the sinkhole was around 5 meters wide and 10 meters deep. However, as days passed, the sinkhole grew significantly in size, eventually merging with another nearby depression and reaching an estimated width of 40 meters and a depth of 15 meters.

Challenges Faced During Rescue Operations

Rescue teams, which included firefighters and emergency personnel, launched immediate efforts to locate and rescue the driver. Initially, the driver was conscious and communicated with the rescuers, but by the afternoon of the first day, contact was lost.

The operation encountered several significant challenges:

• Instability of the Ground: The sinkhole’s rapid expansion and the potential for further collapse made it extremely dangerous for rescue teams to approach. To assist with the operation, heavy machinery, including cranes, was deployed. However, frequent safety concerns led to interruptions in the search process.
• Risk of Hazards: Authorities were also concerned about potential gas leaks and the risk of the sinkhole being flooded with water from a damaged underground rain pipe. These dangers complicated the rescue efforts and led to the evacuation of residents living nearby.
• Concerns about Infrastructure: Investigations indicated that the sinkhole could have been triggered by a crack in a sewer pipe linked to the Nakagawa River Basin, which caused the road to collapse under the weight of passing vehicles. This raised alarms about the condition of the region’s infrastructure.

End of the Search and Shift in Focus

After nearly two weeks of exhaustive search efforts, the authorities concluded that the driver could not be found within the sinkhole. The investigation was redirected to examining the underground sewage system, where a portion of the truck’s cabin was discovered roughly 100 to 200 meters from the sinkhole.