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Nine workers and engineers stranded in the middle of Hyderabad’s Mir Alam lake were rescued in a late-night operation after their boat suffered an engine failure, officials said on Tuesday.

The group had ventured into the lake on Sunday to conduct soil testing for a proposed bridge across the Mir Alam tank. However, as they attempted to return in the evening, the boat’s engine malfunctioned, leaving them marooned in the waterbody, which is known to be home to crocodiles.

According to officials, the stranded team contacted a mechanic, who advised that repairs could only be carried out if the boat was brought back to the shore. Attempts to manually push the vessel failed as thick growths of water hyacinth prevented movement.

With darkness setting in and concerns growing over the presence of crocodiles, the group dialled the emergency helpline. The call was received by the Disaster Response Force (DRF) control room of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), which immediately launched a rescue operation.

Rescuers reached the lake in a boat equipped with torches, locating the stranded workers after they signalled their position using mobile phone flashlights. Four people were brought to safety in the first trip, followed by the successful rescue of the remaining five.

All nine were safely evacuated without injury. The rescued workers and engineers later expressed gratitude to the HYDRAA teams for carrying out the operation during the midnight hours, officials said.

With PTI inputs