QUETTA: After a four-day rescue operation, bodies of seven miners trapped inside a coal mine have been recovered from Balochistan's Dukki area on Sunday.

"A poisonous gas penetrated inside the coal mine causing the death of seven miners," Rasheed Abro, the inspector of mines, told Dawn.

Aurangzaib Kakar, the Deputy Commissioner Loralai said after three days of hectic efforts, rescue workers had managed to retrieve the dead bodies from the mine. Hundreds of coal miners and residents of Dukki gathered outside the mine and the funeral prayers of the victims were offered.

Prominent among those who attended the funeral prayer were Member National Assembly from Swat Ibadullah Khan and MPA Sardar Dur Muhammad Nasar.

Balochistan government announced that the bodies will be shifted through army helicopters to Shangla area of Swat for burial since all the miners belonged to the area. The affected mine was sealed off following an inquiry ordered by the government. However, no arrest has been made so far.

Dukki is one of the resource-rich areas of Balochistan, which has rich coal reservoirs. However, safety conditions for miners remained poor in coal mines. Such incidents are very common in the area.