Retrieve miners’ bodies, even a finger or bone, say families

Shillong, Jan. 20: The families of four of the 15 miners trapped inside a 370-foot-deep coal mine in Meghalaya Saturday urged rescuers to retrieve a decomposed body spotted by divers so that they can perform the last rites.

The Navy divers had detected Wednesday the decomposed body of one of the miners, using an unmanned, remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) at a depth of around 160 feet inside the main shaft.

Officials have said it would be “extremely difficult” to retrieve the decomposed body intact.

“It is difficult to retrieve the remains detected (by the ROV) without disintegration as wanted by the family members and shown in the recorded video taken by the Navys ROV,” East Jaintia Hills district Deputy Commissioner F M Dopth said.

A senior government official said that the rescue operation is still underway because of a Supreme Court order. The district authorities are waiting for family members from West Garo Hills district in western Meghalaya to reach the site.

“Even if they manage to get a finger or a bone out of the shaft, it is fine for us. We will at least be able to bury the dead with some respect,” said Ali. Ali, representing the families of three trapped miners from Assam’s Chirang district, and Aminul Uddin from Hojai district were called by the district administration and the NDRF to see a video footage of the body.