Monday, April 5, 2010

Over 100 Miners Now Rescued From Chinese Coal Mine

Provincial Governor Hails "Two Miracles"


Over 100 Chinese coal miners, trapped in a flooded underground for over a week, have now been rescued, according to state media in China.

The Wangjialing mine in Shanxi province flooded after miners broke a wall into an abandoned shaft on 28 March.

Chinese state television now says that 114 of the 153 missing miners have been rescued amidst jubilant scenes at the mine.

Over 3,000 people have been working round the clock for eight days to try to pump out water and reach the trapped miners.

Provincial governor Wang Jun said that "two miracles" had occurred. "The first is that these trapped people have made it through eight days and eight nights - this is the miracle of life. Secondly our rescue plan has been effective - this is a miracle in China's search and rescue history," he told China Central Television.

A hospital official said the miners were suffering from low body temperature, severe skin infection from staying in water for such a long period of time and severe dehydration. Some were still in a state of shock from their experience.
The first survivors were brought to the surface shortly after midnight on Monday (1400 Sunday GMT) and by 0615 GMT a total of 114 miners had been rescued, CCTV said.


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