SHILLONG: The Indian Navy’s underwater remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) on Wednesday located the body, which had fallen off it when being pulled out from the ill-fated coal mine at Ksan in East Jaintia Hills district on Tuesday.
A source privy to the operation said the body was detected late in the day and hence no attempt could be made to bring it up. “It is now lying at the bottom of the main shaft of the mine and efforts will be made on Thursday to bring the body out,” the source said.
Fifteen miners are trapped in the illegal rat-hole coal mine since Dec 13.
The ROV was pulling out the highly decomposed body on Tuesday evening when it slipped from its clamps or “jaws” and fell back into the shaft. The ROV was unable to locate it thereafter. Officials said pipes and debris inside the main shaft were hindering the effort of the ROV to bring out the body.
Families of a few of the miners have not been able to identify the body from pictures captured by the ROV when it first detected it last Wednesday.
The families have, however, insisted that want the bodies of the miners so they can perform the last rites.
The Supreme Court had earlier said the miners have to be brought out dead or alive.
Both the Centre and the state government have assured the court that rescue operations would continue.
Meanwhile, UDP president Donkupar Roy said “our hope is to search for the bodies till these are found. The UDP does not subscribe to any illegal activities.”
