The body of one of nine miners trapped inside a ‘rat hole’ coal mine was recovered on Wednesday by a diving team from the Indian Army in Assam’s Dima Hasao district.
According to reports, water has filled approximately 100 feet of the mine. Due to heavy rainfall, water gushed into the 300-foot-deep illegal mine located in Umrangso, an industrial town near the Assam-Meghalaya border, trapping the workers inside.
“21 Para divers have just recovered a lifeless body from the bottom of the well. Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving family,” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on the social media platform X.
21 Para divers have just recovered a lifeless body from the bottom of the well. Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving family. https://t.co/y9bUP6tn4H
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 8, 2025
One of the victims has been identified as Ganfa Bahadur Srestho from Nepal.
Efforts to rescue the remaining eight workers are ongoing, with multiple agencies, including the Indian Navy and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), involved in the operation.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has deployed de-watering pumps to assist in draining water from the mine.
As the search continues, the focus remains on dewatering the mine and ensuring the safety of the rescue teams.
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