Deadly Balochistan mine search ends

All bodies retrieved after days of rescue efforts

QUETTA:

The prolonged search and rescue operation launched after the catastrophic coal mine disaster in Spin Karez (Sorenj), Balochistan, came to an end on Saturday as rescue teams recovered the last two bodies of trapped miners from deep inside the collapsed mine, bringing closure to days of painstaking recovery efforts carried out under extremely hazardous conditions.

With the recovery of the final two victims on Saturday afternoon, officials confirmed that the bodies of all miners who lost their lives in the tragic incident had been successfully retrieved.

Following the completion of legal formalities, identification procedures and post-mortem examinations, the last two bodies were transported by ambulances to their native district of Shangla in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where grief-stricken families and relatives had been anxiously waiting for their arrival.

The rescue operation, initiated immediately after the accident, was jointly conducted by Mines Rescue teams, Rescue 1122, the district administration and other relevant emergency agencies.

However, the operation proved exceptionally difficult due to the accumulation of poisonous gases inside the mine, critically low oxygen levels, narrow underground passages and the considerable depth of the coal mine.

Rescue personnel, equipped with specialized protective equipment, breathing apparatus and oxygen cylinders, repeatedly descended hundreds of feet below the surface despite life-threatening conditions.

Working around the clock for several consecutive days, the emergency responders displayed remarkable courage and determination before finally succeeding in recovering the bodies of all the deceased miners.

A profound atmosphere of mourning continues to prevail across Shangla, where the tragedy has devastated numerous families and communities. Villages across the district remain overwhelmed with sorrow as relatives struggle to cope with the loss of their loved ones.