Shillong, Jan 19: Indian Navy divers continued with their operation to trace the trapped miners by using the underwater remotely operated vehicle (UROV) inside a flooded coal mine at Khloo Ryngksan in East Jaiñtia Hills district.

It was on Wednesday that the Indian Naval divers used its UROV and detected a dead body inside the coal mine.

“The body of the miner in the ROV is wearing blue jean and red T-shirt,” spokesperson for the rescue operation, R. Sungi said on Saturday.

So far only one body has been detected, but yet to be retrieved.

The family members of the miners from Lumthari village near Khloo Ryngksan, who have been the ROV video on Thursday and expressed their wishes that the body of one of the miners detected, should be retrieved intact without much disintegration.

“The Indian Navy tried their best to pull the body by their ROV after exploring various angles but have expressed that without disintegration, it is not possible. The process of pulling is continuing,” Spokesperson for the rescue operation, R. Sungi said.

Family members of the miners from West Garo Hills and Assam have been informed to come and identify the body.

The district authorities on Saturday also barred journalists from proceeding to the tragedy site.

The body will be extracted under the supervision of doctors.

The Meghalaya government has roped in several Central agencies including a team from Hyderabad-based National Geophyscial Research Institute and Chennai-based Planys Technologies in the rescue operation.

Coal India Limited, Odisha firefighters, Kirloskar Brothers Limited and Pune-based KSB are dewatering the abandoned coal mine shafts and the main shaft where the miners are trapped.

Technical experts from Planys Technologies are still operating their ROV in shaft No. 4 to survey and identify ‘rat hole’ mines.

Coal mine accidents have been happening in Meghalaya even after the National Green Tribubal imposed a ban on ‘rat hole’ coal mining on April 17, 2014.