The low-powered pumps being used to suck out water failed to rise to the occasion.
As the search operations for the 15 miners trapped in the rat-hole mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills enters the third week, a heavy transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force carrying 10 high-power pumps landed at the Assam's Guwahati airport on Friday.
Rescue operations were suspended on Monday, after the low-powered pumps being used to suck out water failed to rise to the occasion.
The high-power pumps had arrived in Guwahati, three weeks after the mine collapsed on December 13. The high-capacity pumps, supplied by Coal India, are special pumps being brought from Coal India mines in Asansol in West Bengal and Dhanbad in Jharkhand.
"Pumps have have reached East Jaintia hills, will be taken to accident site today," said Meghalaya police
The high-pressure pumps are being transported by road to Lumthari village in Meghalaya. The trucks will cover a distance of 220 km to the mine and expected to reach the site today evening, sources said. Fifteen Navy divers have also been airlifted from Visakhapatnam to join the rescue operations and an initial assessment to determine an effective response was undertaken by the Navy on Friday.
The illegal mine has no map, which might lead to delay in the operations, say sources.
Here are the Updates on Meghalaya rescue operation:
Amid the ongoing rescue operations Odisha fire service team reaches spot. The advance team of the Navy is already at spot.
Pumps on the wayThe pumps are on the way, say sources. The NDRF officer said the rescue team found the water level too high for diving even on the first day.
"The state government tried using low-capacity pumps to suck out the water, but to no avail. A request for high-powered pumps was sent to the centre on December 18," he added.
A 15-member diving team of the Navy has flown in from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and are on their way to the mine.
Three helmets have been recovered
Operations to rescue 13 trapped miners underway in Khelerihaat for the 18th day. SK Singh, Asst Commandant NDRF, says "three helmets have been recovered" A team of heavy pump-maker Kirloskar Brothers Ltd is at the mine on a survey mission, sources said.