Assam coal mine accident: The body of one of the nine miners trapped inside a coal mine in Dima Hasao district of Assam was recovered by a diving team of the Indian Army on Wednesday on the third day of the rescue operations, officials said.
The joint rescue operation led by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and other agencies resumed rescue operation early morning. The operation had to be temporarily halted the previous evening. According to NDRF Deputy Commandant, N Tiwari, the efforts are continuing round-the-clock with an expanded team.
Rescue operation is in full swing
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in an X post said, "21 Para divers have just recovered a lifeless body from the bottom of the well. Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving family." Sarma said the rescue operations were continuing in full swing, with divers of the army and NDRF having already entered the well. He said that the navy personnel are at the site, making final preparations to dive in after them.
Sarma had on Tuesday said the mine "appears to be illegal", and that the police have arrested one person in connection with the incident.
What happened at coal mine?
The disaster occurred on January 6, when a sudden flood inundated the rat-hole coal mine in the 3 Kilo area of Umrangso, a region known for its extensive mining activities.
The miners, aged between 26 and 57, were working in the mine when water flooded the area, possibly due to damage caused to an underground water source during excavation. The bodies of the three deceased workers were seen from the surface on January 7, but recovery efforts have been challenging due to the depth of the mine, which is 300 feet below ground. Initial reports suggest that helmets and slippers were floating on the water’s surface, raising fears for the safety of those still trapped.
The mine is located in the hilly, remote region of Umrangso, where rescue operations are complicated by difficult terrain and the hazardous nature of the flooded mine. Despite the challenging conditions, rescue teams, including NDRF and Army deep divers, have been working tirelessly to reach the trapped miners. Navy divers have also been put on standby to assist with the rescue efforts.
The trapped miners include individuals from Assam, West Bengal, and Nepal, with names such as Ganga Bahadur Shreth from Nepal’s Udaypur district, Krishna Pada Sarkar from West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri, and several others from Assam, including Hussain Ali, Jakir Hussain, and Mustafa Sheikh.
Also Read: Assam coal mine incident: Navy roped in to rescue nine trapped, police refute claim of casualties
Also Read: Assam coal mine tragedy: Three dead as floods trap miners, rescuers race against time
