Guwahati, Jan 9: Four Navy divers who entered the coal mine in Assam's Umrangso locality to rescue at least 8 trapped labourers have returned, officials said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, pump machines are being used to extract water from the mine along with drone mapping of the nearest water bodies are conducted to better understand the scenario inside the coal mine.

A senior official said, "Four Navy divers returned to the ground. Pumping machine to start again for dewatering. Drone mapping of adjacent water bodies and queries going on."

High suction pumps to dewater the mine were also brought by the administration from different places in the state. "High suction pumps are brought by helicopter to augment pumping," the official added.

Harmeet Singh, Special DGP of Assam Police looking after the rescue operation, earlier said, "The de-watering of the tunnel was done; however, there are channels which are pouring water back to the tunnel. We have been bringing small pumps to extract water from the tunnel and meanwhile, the navy divers are looking into the tunnels for the rescue effort. However, as of now, they could not spot anything."

He also said that the Indian Navy rescue team has been trying to look inside the coal mine with the help of a Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV). The rescue team also deployed advanced gears to go into the various tunnels inside the coal mine.

Meanwhile, Singh also mentioned that the recovered body of the labourer was sent to Haflong for the post-mortem and after due procedure will be handed over to the family.

Notably, the body of one of the trapped labourers in the coal mine was recovered by the para divers, said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday.

Taking to X, CM Sarma 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."

The CM also said that the rescue operation is in full swing with Army and NDRF personnel entering the well. At least nine labourers have been identified who were trapped in a coal mine in the Umrangso locality.

Out of the nine labourers who were trapped in the coal mine, one is a national of Nepal, one from West Bengal and the rest hail from different parts of Assam.

They have been identified as Ganga Bahadur Shreth, Hussain Ali, Jakir Hussain, Sarpa Barman, Mustafa Seikh, Khusi Mohan Rai, Sanjit Sarkar, Lijan Magar and Sarat Goyary.

(IANS)

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