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One miner comes out alive after 138 hours

Our correspondent in Dhanbad, and agencies

One of the miners trapped in the Bagdigi mine of Bharat Coking Coal Limited came out alive but unconscious on Thursday morning, six days after the colliery was flooded.

Salim Ansari, the miner was found stretched out on a highrise seam at around 6 am by a rescue team comprising GM (operations) S Prakash, manager R P Singh of Jairampur colliery, overman Ramswarup Paswan and minimg sardar Ramdeo Mistri, after greater access was possible following massive dewatering operations, BCCL sources said.

Ansari, who was brought out on a stretcher by the rescue team from the Jairampur side at 7.30 am, looked pale and feeble.

The miner has been rushed to a hospital in Dhanbad.

Initial reports had said 38 miners were trapped inside the coal mine. However, BCCL authorities have put the figure at 27.

For the families of miners trapped inside, hopes have now been rekindled, especially after the nine-member diving teams from Bombay and Visakhapatnam packed up and left Dhanbad on Wednesday after three days of fruitless search.

BCCL control room sources said ten pumps were working on the Bagdigi and Jairampur sides, with another 2-3 million gallons of water being drained out on Thursday morning.

"The dewatering operations will naturally continue till the other miners inside can be located," they said.

In another development, acting CMD of BCCL, Ashok Mehta, has been removed from the post.

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