Heavy rains in the Russian capital lead to disastrous consequences for the maintenance crew.
Three workers who went missing in Moscow after a powerful downpour hit the Russian capital on Sunday have been found dead. The water level started to rise when the men were cleaning a sewer pipe.
According to preliminary data, a total of 12 crew members were underground at the time of the accident. Rescuers who arrived at the scene had to extricate five trapped in the sewer, while some managed to make it out to safety on their own.
Interfax, the news agency, has suggested a different version of events, alleging that the workers were above ground when the downpour started. According to this report, the men were swept into the open manhole by powerful currents of water.
Russia's public prosecutor's office reported on its Telegram channel that three workers were not able to make it above ground due to a rise in water level. The authorities posted two videos from the site, the latest of which showed rescuers arranging what looks like a hoisting mechanism above the manhole.
The prosecutor's office issued an update later in the day, saying that the body of one of the workers had been located. Two and a half hours later, the authorities posted another update, stating that the two other men had also been found dead.
A probe was launched to determine whether workplace safety regulations had been properly observed, according to the officials.