People watch rescue workers dig at a site where a coal mine collapsed in Godda, India, on Friday. Dozens of people may be trapped in the mine. Photo by STR/European Pressphoto Agency

GODDA, India, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Rescuers pulled five bodies out of a coal mine in India Friday morning and were working to reach dozens more who were trapped when it collapsed the night before, a mine official said.

Rescue workers cleared rubble at a mine in Godda in the Jharkhand province after it collapsed around 8 p.m. Thursday. They were searching for up to 60 miners who may have been trapped and had to wait overnight for workers to start digging because of darkness and fog.


"Rescuers pulled out five bodies of workers trapped in the mine so far," said Sanjay Singh, general manager at Rajmahal Opencast Project, which operates the mine. "Rescue operation is still on. Bodies have not been identified."

An unknown number of workers, and at least 40 vehicles, were operating in the mine about 200 feet underground when, during a shift change, the mine ceiling collapsed.

Police officials warned those inside the mine had low chances of survival.

"We are trying to make contact with them," said Niladri Roy, general manager of Eastern Coalfields Limited, which owns the mine. "We cannot comment whether they are trapped inside the mine or under the debris."