Navy divers withdrawn from rescue ops in Assam coal mine, dewatering exercise underway

Navy divers withdrawn from Assam coal mine rescue as hope fades for trapped workers; dewatering continues.

Navy divers have been withdrawn from rescue operations at a coal mine in Assam's Dima Hasao district with the hope of survival of five trapped labourers appearing to be slim even as dewatering exercise entered the ninth day on Tuesday (January 14, 2025), officials said.

Dewatering of the quarry, which is 340 feet deep, continued with specialised machines brought in by ONGC and Coal India.

The water level, which was initially at 100 ft, is coming down gradually and on Monday, it further receded by 3 metres, an official said.

It was difficult to say when the water would be ''completely cleared or when the rescue and search operations inside the quarry would resume'', he added.

"Navy divers, who were requisitioned for rescue operations since January 7 have been withdrawn and moved out of the site," another official said.

Nine workers were trapped inside the mine in Umrangsu on January 6 after a sudden gush of water flooded the quarry.

Four bodies have so far been recovered, the official said.