Nine more Chinese miners trapped underground for over two weeks have been confirmed dead, local government officials said Monday, leaving one unaccounted for after a blast at the site.
A group of 22 were trapped hundreds of meters underground by an explosion at the Hushan mine in eastern Shandong province on January 10, with some relying on food and medicine delivered through long shafts drilled by rescue teams.
Eleven survivors were finally brought to the surface on Sunday in a major breakthrough for a rescue operation that has captivated the nation.
Nine more Chinese miners trapped underground for over two weeks have been confirmed dead, state media reported Monday, leaving one still unaccounted for after a blast at the site.
“From Sunday afternoon to this afternoon, rescue workers have not stopped searching, and found a further nine trapped miners who unfortunately all died,”, state broadcaster CCTV quoted the mayor of Yantai city as saying.
Eleven miners were rescued alive on Sunday.