Meghalaya mine tragedy: Navy divers search for detected body

Shillong, Jan 19 (IANS) The Navy divers were on Saturday searching for the body of an unidentified miner in a 370-feet flooded coal mine in Meghalayaa's East Jaintia Hills district, an official said.

"The Indian Navy is trying to pull the dead body by underwater remotely operated vehicle (UROV). Though photographs were captured but integration was not possible," a rescue operations Spokesperson Reginald Susngi said.

The divers had detected a dead body with blue jeans and red T-shirt inside the mine on Wednesday through an UROV and decided to extract it under the supervision of doctors.

Susngi said the process of pulling is continuing from nearby rat-hole mine for other trapped miners.

He said the families of the trapped miners, seven from West Garo Hills district and five from Assam have been informed to come and identify.

On Friday, Deputy Commissioner F.M. Dopth visited the families of three of the 15 trapped miners at Lumthari village near the tragedy site and expressed the authorities' "inability" to evacuate them.

The families of the trapped miners had said they want the "dead bodies" of the miners to be taken out as per the Supreme Court order.

A Supreme Court bench comprising had expressed dissatisfaction with the rescue operation and ordered to take out miners whether they are dead or alive. 

Technical experts from Planys Technologies are still operating their ROV in shaft No. 4 to identify the "rat hole" mines.