Bodies of two trapped miners recovered from Balochistan’s Dukki

Coal miners were trapped in a mine that swiftly filled with rainwater on May 4

QUETTA:

Following an arduous 40-day rescue operation, the remains of two miners trapped in a coal mine in Balochistan's Dukki district have been recovered.

Muhammad Hanif Kibzai, the Assistant Commissioner of Dukki, confirmed the retrieval of the decomposed bodies of the unfortunate miners, saying that the dead bodies could hardly be identified.

According to Kibzai, the incident occurred on May 4, when at least two coal miners became trapped in a mine that swiftly filled with rainwater. The miners found themselves buried deep inside the mine, approximately 900 feet below ground level.

Some miners were lucky enough to escape in time and save their lives but two of them were left behind as they were working deep underground.

Read more: Two miners killed in Khuzdar, Darra

The heirs of the family members of the victims were also present outside the mine when the dead bodies were retrieved. Syed Saboor Agha, the District Police Officer (DPO) of Dukki, assured the heirs that the bodies would be handed over to them.

The Express Tribune earlier reported that lack of proper equipment and heavy machinery and properly trained rescue workers is the main reason why the operation took so long and failed in the end despite all efforts.

The incident serves as a grim reminder of the inherent risks faced by coal miners, who work under perilous conditions to support their families and communities.

“This is inhuman, nobody is concerned about the lives of coal miners in this province. Everyone is making excuses,” Rehmatullah, one of the family members of the trapped miners, said.