Meghalaya: 13 miners trapped in coal mine, rescue on

13 miners, who were trapped inside a coal pit filled with gallons of water in East Jaintia Hills district under Meghalaya were yet to be reached or rescued, district police chief said on Friday. Officials had already said their chances of survival were bleak.

"We are yet to recover the dead bodies from the pit," a senior police officer told media.

"The rescue operation is still on in full swing. NDRF and SDRF teams have been pressed into service to carry out the rescue operation," he added.

"It appeared the miners resumed mining coal three to four days ago. Our first step is to rescue those people trapped inside the pit. We are pumping the water out of the pit with the help of generators but the water level has not receded," the police official said.

The accident inside the coal pit on Thursday was of significance, especially because the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered an interim ban on "rat-hole" coal mining in the State from April 17, 2014.

Meanwhile, a case against the owner of the coal mine has been registered.