Assam: Body recovered from Umrangso mine, Himanta Biswa Sarma extends prayers to grieving family

Army divers from the 21 Para Special Forces have recovered one body from the flooded coal mine in Umrangso, Dima Hasao district, marking a grim development in the ongoing rescue operation. The recovery comes after nearly 48 hours of intense search efforts for nine miners trapped underground since January 6.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the recovery through social media, as rescue teams continue their desperate search for the remaining miners. "21 Para divers have just recovered a lifeless body from the bottom of the well. Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving family," the chief minister wrote on X.

HPS Kandari, Commandant of the 1st Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), spoke to reporters about the challenges of the complex mine rescue mission. He shared that despite many attempts the previous day, the team was unsuccessful, but a joint team dived into the mine the following day and recovered one body. Kandari further explained the difficulty of locating the trapped individuals, mentioning that the operation would continue based on the location of the rat holes, where others might be trapped.

Multiple agencies are working around the clock at the accident site, with Navy personnel joining Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) divers in the operation.

A massive dewatering effort is underway, with State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) pumps being rushed from Umrangshu. The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has also provided specialised equipment, currently awaiting aerial transport via MI-17 helicopter from Kumbhigram once weather conditions improve.

State Mines Minister Kaushik Rai, who is supervising the rescue operation, said engineers are battling challenging conditions after workers struck an underground water source while mining. The sudden flood trapped the miners inside the narrow "rat hole" mine shaft.

The incident has exposed ongoing illegal mining activities in the region. Police have arrested one suspect, Punish Nunisa, and launched an investigation into violations of mining regulations. Additional arrests are expected as the investigation continues.

The multi-agency rescue effort has drawn support from Union Coal Minister Kishan Reddy, who has directed Coal India Limited to provide additional resources. Special teams from the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, Navy, and Air Force have established lighting systems to enable continuous rescue operations.