Body of another labourer trapped in Assam coal mine recovered

Two bodies have so far been recovered with the first one brought out from the quarry on Wednesday

Guwahati: The body of another worker, who was trapped inside a coal mine in Assam‘s Dima Hasao district, was recovered on Saturday from the quarry during rescue operations, an official said. Two bodies have so far been recovered with the first one brought out from the quarry on Wednesday, he said.

The two deceased labourers were among nine workers who were trapped inside the mine in Umrangsu on Monday after a sudden gush of water flooded the quarry. “The rescue operations resumed this morning and one more body was recovered as the search for trapped miners entered its sixth day. The deceased has been identified as 27-year-old Lijen Magar, a resident of village number 1 of Kalamati in Dima Hasao. The body of one labourer, hailing from Nepal, had already been recovered,” the official said.

---

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a post on X, said that the body was yet to be identified. ‘Rescue efforts in Umrangsu continue with unwavering resolve. Tragically, another body was recovered this morning, with the identity yet to be confirmed,” the Chief Minister posted on the microblogging site. ‘Our hearts go out to the grieving, as we hold on to hope and strength in this difficult time,” he added.

The identity of the recovered body has been confirmed as Ligen Magar, aged approximately 27 years, a resident of 1 No. Umrangshu, Dima Hasao, Assam. https://t.co/jKQ2tuUIKU

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 11, 2025

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