The body of one of the three labourers trapped in illegal rat hole mining at Tikok West in Ledo has been recovered after 8 days.
The operation was resumed through SDRF/NDRF since this morning.
Meanwhile, the team has also intensified its search to trace the remaining missing persons.
It is worth mentioning here that three people have been trapped inside the illegal rat hole mine in Tinsukia district of Assam since May 26.
The incident took place on Sunday, May 26 at around 12.30 am at Tikok West mining site of Ledo between Bargolai and Namdang areas.
“Three coal miners are trapped inside the illegal rat hole mine after a landslide in the Patkai hills,” officials said. They said the trapped persons include Dawa Cherpa of Bhojpur in Nepal and two labourers from Meghalaya, identified as John and Fenal. The official said a total of four coal labourers were purchasing illegal coal from the rat-hole mine. Three of them went inside the mine and the fourth was helping in transporting coal. Suddenly, a landslide occurred, trapping the three workers inside the mine. “It is suspected that they died inside the coal mine, but we cannot say anything until we find their bodies,” the official said. He said the administration is currently carrying out rescue operations and several agencies have been called in for help.
