Society

29 trapped in China mine all alive

(xinhua)
Updated: 2010-11-22 12:56

CHENGDU - Rescuers said Monday 29 miners trapped in a flooded coal mine in southwest China's Sichuan Province are all alive.

Rescuers are pumping water from the flooded pit and the water level has fallen 73cm by 9:30 a.m. local time, the emergency rescue headquarter said.

The trapped are likely to come out of the mine any time, it said.

Xinhua reporters have arrived at the scene. They saw that four emergency medical service tents had been erected, with at least three doctors and nurses standing by each of the 20-plus stretchers inside them.

The accident happened at 11 a.m. Sunday when 35 miners were working underground. Thirteen of them rushed out while the other 22 were left behind.

After the accident, seven rescuers, led by a vice mine manager, descended to free the miners but were trapped underground, too.

Previously it was reported that 28 people,including six rescuers, were trapped.