Navy withdraws divers from Assam coal mine rescue op as dewatering efforts continue

The Indian Navy has concluded its involvement in the rescue operations at a coal mine in Assam's Dima Hasao district, as hopes for the survival of the five remaining trapped labourers diminish.

The dewatering process, aimed at reducing the water levels in the 340-foot-deep quarry, has now entered its ninth day, according to official sources.

Specialised equipment from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Coal India has been employed to facilitate the dewatering process. An official noted that the water level, initially at 100 feet, is slowly decreasing, having dropped by an additional three metres as of Jan 13. "It remains uncertain when the quarry will be fully drained or when it will be feasible to resume rescue and search operations inside the mine," the official stated.

Another official confirmed that "Navy divers, who were engaged in the rescue operations since Jan 7, have now been withdrawn from the site." The incident began on Jan 6 when nine workers became trapped after a sudden influx of water flooded the mine in Umrangsu. To date, four bodies have been recovered.

"The likelihood of the remaining miners' survival is diminishing as they have been trapped for nine days. Nonetheless, the rescue efforts will persist," the official added. The ongoing dewatering is supported by nine operational pumps, with an additional six pumps ready to be deployed if necessary.

The rescue mission is a collaborative effort involving the army, Assam Rifles, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the district administration. An underwater remote-operating vehicle (ROV) is being routinely deployed into the quarry to capture visual data of the trapped individuals.

The first body was retrieved on Jan 8, followed by three more on the subsequent Saturday. Assam's Chief Minister previously stated that the mine had been abandoned 12 years ago and was under the jurisdiction of the Assam Mineral Development Corporation until three years ago.

He further disclosed that the leader of the workers had been apprehended, with police investigations currently underway.

Adding to the pressure on the state government, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has formally requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the mining disaster. Gogoi has criticized the ongoing illegal mining activities, attributing them to "weak law enforcement and local complicity" in Assam.

The situation continues to evolve, with rescue teams striving against the odds to recover the remaining trapped miners amidst complex and challenging conditions.