Body of Driver Trapped in Sinkhole Found Months After Truck Was Swallowed by Road

The body of a 74-year-old man has been recovered three months after his truck was swallowed by a massive sinkhole in Japan, bringing a tragic end to a lengthy search and rescue effort.

On Friday, May 2, local authorities confirmed that a body—believed to be the missing truck driver—was found inside the vehicle’s cabin, which had been buried deep within the sinkhole since January 28. The collapse occurred during morning rush hour in Yashio, a city in Saitama Prefecture, just outside Tokyo.

“We discovered a man inside the truck cabin and confirmed his death,” a fire department spokesperson told The Japan Times. The incident is now in the hands of police, who are conducting a full investigation and working to confirm the driver’s identity.

The driver was last heard from around 1 p.m. local time on the day of the collapse, responding to emergency crews before communication was lost. As the hole widened—eventually spanning over 130 feet across and plunging 50 feet deep—rescue efforts became too dangerous and were suspended on February 9 due to risk of further collapse.

Crews resumed entry into the sinkhole on May 1 for the first time since the suspension, checking for water flow issues and toxic gas levels. It was during this inspection that they found the truck and the body inside.

The situation had become so dire that over a million nearby residents were asked to reduce water usage to limit pressure on the already-damaged sewage system. The sinkhole itself was caused by corroded sewer pipes, part of a growing problem in Japan, which reported more than 10,000 sinkholes in fiscal year 2022 alone.

Rescue workers used heavy machinery and constructed support walls to navigate the unstable ground safely. Images from the scene show emergency crews examining the gaping cavity, now partially reinforced.

In a heartbreaking statement to Japanese media, a family member of the victim expressed the pain of the long wait and sudden loss. “Until the very end of his life, my father, who had a strong heart, must have been hoping to come home alive—fighting fear and pain—which makes me feel a tightening in my heart,” the family member said. “I can’t believe or accept the fact that my father, who was loved by everyone, suddenly disappeared.”