Ten China gold miners confirmed dead after others rescued; one still missing (updated)

China Gold International Resources

25/01/2021 10:39

* Interactive graphic of mine rescue: https://tmsnrt.rs/3qFD0XO

 (Recasts to lead with confirmation of deaths)
    SHANGHAI, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Rescuers searching for the
remaining workers trapped in a Chinese gold mine after Sunday's
dramatic extraction of 11 survivors found nine bodies, a local
official said on Monday, taking the death toll to 10, with one
miner still missing.
    A total of 22 miners working about 600 metres (2,000 feet)
underground were trapped after an explosion at the Hushan mine
in Qixia, a major gold-producing region in China's coastal
Shandong province, on Jan. 10.
    Eleven were pulled out alive on Sunday after two weeks
underground, including one in a very weak condition whom rescue
teams had been unable to send supplies to.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2JZ025
    Yantai Mayor Chen Fei said rescuers kept searching from
Sunday to Monday afternoon and found the bodies of nine miners,
state broadcaster CCTV reported. 
    That means a total of 10 miners are confirmed to have died,
following the earlier death in the mine of one worker who had
lapsed into a coma, and their remains have been lifted to the
surface, Chen said, adding that one miner was still missing. 
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2JV0LG
    The search is difficult and water levels are high, but as
long as the missing worker has not been found the work will not
stop, the CCTV report added.     

    SUNDAY SALVATION
    The 11 miners freed on Sunday were rescued much earlier than
expected after it emerged that steel pipes in a blocked mine
shaft had prevented debris from falling lower, according to
state media.
    The air ventilation shaft, which was the most feasible way
to bring up the workers, had been cleared to a depth of 368
metres (1,207 feet), Xiao Wenru, chief engineer for the mine
rescue, told the Xinhua news agency on Monday.
    "It is at this location we discovered that there were some
steel pipes supporting the blockage ... there is almost no
blockage under the steel pipes," said Xiao.
    Xiao told Xinhua on Sunday there had been a breakthrough in
rescue efforts after clearing some blockages and finding the 
"cavities underneath".
    The 11 miners were mostly in good condition. Officials had
earlier said they may have to wait another 15 days before they
could be rescued due to a blockage along their intended escape
route.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2JW0PJ  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2JU15Q
    China's mines are among the world's deadliest. The country
recorded 573 mine-related deaths in 2020, according to the
National Mine Safety Administration.

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The light at the end of the tunnel    https://tmsnrt.rs/36czKeS
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 (Reporting by Emily Chow; additional reporting by Tom Daly;
Editing by Michael Perry and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
 ((emily.chow@thomsonreuters.com; +862120830020; Reuters
Messaging: emily.chow.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))