Meghalaya Mining: A month later, rescue still in limbo

It has been over a month since 15 miners got trapped inside a rat hole mine in Meghalaya. On Sunday, the Navy suspended its operations to retrieve a decomposed body it found at a depth of over 100 feet. On January 16, a naval remotely operated vehicle (ROV) found a body and a few skeletons after the ROV was sent down 160 feet. Since then, Navy divers have been trying to retrieve the body using the ROV, but it kept disintegrating with each pull, forcing them to suspend the operation. It is now awaiting the state’s decision on the next step. A few family members of the miners found it difficult to identify the body from a video shot by the ROV. Officials said the miners would not have had access to food and potable water due to the presence of sulphur in the mines, making chances of finding survivors only a bleak possibility, reports Shaurya Karanbir Gurung.

TRAIN OF EVENTS
*On Dec 13, 15 miners enter a rat hole mine in Ksan at East Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya
*While digging, the miners hit a water bed and water, believed to be from the nearby Lytein river, gushes into their location and traps them.
*The state government requests the Army to provide pumps. The Army says it has gear to pump out water only up to 60 feet depth.

*NDRF and SDRF (National/State Disaster Response Force) personnel carry out rescue operations.
*Due to lack of heavy-duty pumps, NDRF closes operation for a few days.
*On Dec 28, Odisha Fire Service rescue team arrives.
*On Dec 30, Navy divers with specialised equipment, including a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) capable of underwater search, is deployed.
*On January 16, Navy divers deploy an ROV which detects a body after moving 210 feet laterally from the mouth of the mine. It also detects skeletons behind the body.
*On Sunday, the Navy tries to retrieve the body using the ROV, but it keeps disintegrating, following which it suspends its operation.
*The state government will take a call on what needs to be done next.
*Five family members of the miners fail to identify body from ROV’s footage.