Divers Start Hunt for 15 Missing in Indian ‘Rathole’ Mine, Weeks After It Flooded
Rescue effort is being complicated because some 60 to 90 interconnected mines all have water coming into them from a nearby river system
NEW DELHI—The search for 15 coal miners in northeastern India began in earnest Sunday—17 days after the 300-foot deep tunnel they were in filled with water—with divers finally confident they can attempt to find out if anyone survived.
The men were excavating coal from a type of illegal mine in the East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya state on Dec. 13 when water from below ground flooded the mine. Authorities are unsure what caused the flood, but water is known to seep from the ground into the tunnels in the area.
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