SHILLONG: A third body was sighted by the ROV deployed inside the Ksan mine on Saturday night.
Sources, however, said on being inspected by the ROV, it was found that the body was excessively decomposed. Efforts to grip it with the ROV Jaw (manipulator) could not be possible because the flesh was tearing off.
The skeleton is visible in many parts, including the ribs, arms and thighs, the sources added.
While attempting to grip the body’s right arm between the shoulder and the elbow, the entire hand got detached from the body. Videos of the same are with the Indian Navy. They are of the opinion that in the present condition, any attempt to retrieve the body or bodies detected by the ROV would only result in complete disintegration of body parts.
One body was retrieved on January 17 and as second was spotted a week after. However, it could not be retrieved as it was highly decomposed.
The Indian Navy divers say the miners have been trapped inside the watery mine for over 70 days and without air pockets, the bodies of the remaining miners too would be in the same state of decomposition. They have suggested that the video footage be shown to medical specialists to get their opinion as to whether the retrieval operations by ROV should be discontinued considering the extreme state of decomposition of the bodies.
The Indian Navy divers have also said the third body that was sighted was ‘negatively buoyant’ and pulling out the body through the sharp rat-hole turns and other obstructions inside the mine is impossible. In fact, the navigation and communication link with the ROV has also been damaged.
The problem with the Ksan rescue mission is the inability to deploy the dewatering mechanism that the mine owners are used to doing.
A mine owner speaking to this correspondent said, “The mine owners spend considerable sums on hiring high power pumps and deploying them all at the same time in the surrounding mines. We have done this for years and we could have been of help to the authorities but most mine owners now fear arrest hence no one is extending help in this rescue operation.”
The state government now has to take a final call to bring matters to a close. The mine owners say that only way to retrieve the bodies or what’s left of them is to dewater the mine completely — a task that was wanting due to deployment of inadequate pumps.
