Indian Navy Joins Forces in Urgent Miner Rescue Operation in Assam

The Indian Navy dispatches a skilled rescue team to assist in recovering miners trapped in Assam's Umrangso. In a joint operation with other agencies, the team aims to overcome hazardous conditions after a mine collapse left several workers trapped, with one body already recovered.

The Indian Navy has swiftly mobilized a specialized rescue team to assist in recovering miners trapped following a mine collapse in Umrangso, a remote industrial town in Assam's Dima Hasao district. The team, composed of one officer and eleven seasoned sailors, includes highly trained clearance divers renowned for their deep-diving and recovery expertise. These divers have actively joined local authorities on-site to tackle the complex rescue mission underway.

In the meantime, a grim discovery was made by NDRF divers as one miner's body was recovered from the collapsed site at 3 Kilo, Umrangso, where nine miners had been trapped since January 6. According to an NDRF official, the joint operation—comprising the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, NDRF, and State Disaster Response Force—intensified on Monday morning as efforts to rescue the remaining trapped miners resumed.

NDRF Deputy Commandant N. Tiwari emphasized the round-the-clock nature of the rescue efforts. He explained that the combined forces, supported now by the Indian Navy, were working tirelessly on the ground. Earlier, 1st Battalion NDRF Commandant HPS Kandari described the challenges faced by the team, stating, 'Many attempts were made yesterday but we didn't succeed... A joint team dived today and we have recovered one body.'

The collapsed mine has presented numerous obstacles due to hazardous underground conditions, prompting calls for diving experts' specialized support. Kandari highlighted the operation's unpredictability, explaining, 'Diving elsewhere is different from these situations. We cannot estimate what conditions may exist inside, especially with various mining equipment potentially obstructing the rescue.'

(With inputs from agencies.)