Initially, senior officials of Coal India were opposed to the plan. It was too dangerous, too experimental, and had never been attempted in a coal mine rescue before. But Gill was insistent. He knew it was the only chance the miners had. When the Coal India chairman expressed hesitation, Gill reportedly made a promise: "I'll return safe and have a cup of tea with you in the morning," he assured him. He then famously declared, "Somebody had to bell the cat".
Of the 71 trapped, six miners were swept away and feared drowned. The remaining 65, however, managed to reach a "rise part" of the pit—an elevated area that remained above the waterline. In the midst of the terror, a slender lifeline remained: a telephone connection through a borehole that was still working, allowing them to communicate with the world above ground. The message they sent was chilling but provided a glimmer of hope: they were alive, but for how long? raniganj coal mine rescue full
But water was still rising. Gill had drilled into the air pocket , but the water was lapping at the miners' waists. He needed a bigger hole. Initially, senior officials of Coal India were opposed
For the first time in 15 hours, the trapped miners felt a cool breeze. They later recounted that the sound of the compressor was "like the voice of God." He knew it was the only chance the miners had
While 149 workers managed to scramble into two emergency escape lifts before the shafts flooded, were immediately cut off. Six men drowned instantly in the initial deluge. The remaining 65 managed to retreat to a higher, sloping patch within the mine pocket, trapped in complete darkness with oxygen depleting and water levels rising continuously. Failure of Conventional Methods
It had never been tried in India. It was considered suicidal.
One by one, Gill located the exhausted miners. He didn't just send them up; he stayed in the mud and rising water to coordinate every single trip. For six grueling hours, the crane lifted the capsule up and down.