Miner's body recovered as 11 others still trapped in exploded mine near Quetta

QUETTA: Body of a miner has been recovered from the coal mine in the Sanjidi area, which collapsed due to gas buildup, resulting in a total of 12 workers being trapped, said the Chief Inspector of Mines Abdul Ghani Baloch on Friday.

The coal mine, from where all the workers are yet to rescued despite the passage of more than 12 hours, is located approximately 40 kilometres from Quetta.

According to the Pakistan Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), debris has been removed from the entry point of the affected coal mine.

Moreover, rescue teams are trying to reach the affected part of the coal mine.

The miners are trapped under the depth of 4,000 feet, as per the Deputy Director of Rescue Asghar Jamali, The News reported.

Debris has fallen to a depth of 20 feet to 30 feet in the mine, he said added.

Rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the site following the incident, according to the Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind.

The teams, including mines rescue and PDMA, upon arrival, began a rescue operation to rescue the workers from the collapsed mine and are still involved in the efforts.

However, the gas and debris in the mine are making the rescue efforts difficult.

Despite these challenges, rescue personnel are working diligently to save the workers’ lives.

The debris of the mine is being removed with the help of heavy machinery.

The Balochistan government spokesperson further stated that a thorough investigation into the incident will be conducted, and strict action will be taken against those responsible for negligence.

Mineral Resources and Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani has taken notice of the incident and instructed the Chief Inspector of Mines, Abdul Ghani Baloch, to send two additional rescue teams to the affected site.

He also ordered an investigation into the alleged violation of standard mining procedures.