Efforts are ongoing to rescue nine miners trapped in a flooded coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district, India. Rescuers fear three of the miners may have died, as bodies have been spotted but not yet retrieved.
The men became trapped on Monday when water from a nearby disused mine flooded their location about 300 feet underground.
Access to the remote Umrangso area delayed rescue teams, who arrived on Tuesday to begin operations.
Authorities believe the miners accidentally breached a water channel, causing the sudden influx of water.
The Indian Army, along with national and state disaster relief teams, has been deployed to the site.
Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, confirmed that navy divers have been called in to assist, as the water level inside the mine has risen to nearly 100 feet.
Over 100 rescue workers are involved in the operation, with divers expected to arrive soon to aid the complex effort.
Images shared by the Indian military show divers in scuba gear being lowered into the shaft to assess the situation.
The miners include seven individuals from Assam, one from West Bengal, and one from Nepal, according to local reports.
