Vietnam Mine Accident Final Death Toll Four

Text of report in English by Vietnamese radio text website on 2 April

Rescue workers on Sunday afternoon [2 April] retrieved the last two dead bodies of miners trapped in the debris deep in a tunnel, bringing the death toll of a mining accident to four. Sixteen miners survive and have been brought out of the tunnel by rescue workers.

The accident occurred on 31 March when the coal miners were hitting a pocket of water, which caused parts of the Mong Duong colliery tunnel to collapse. A miner died immediately, two others were seriously injured and were taken to the local hospital. One of them died shortly afterwards.

In an interview with VOV [Voice of Vietnam] after the rescue work ended, Doan Van Kien, director-general of the Vietnam Coal and Mining Corporation, said that rarely have almost all miners been rescued in such a mining accident like this case. He said right after the accident, the group and Mong Duong Coal Company had mobilized experienced rescue workers to the scene, who managed to create fresh air circulation inside the tunnel and bring survivors out of the rubble.

Mr Kien said mining contains life-threatening risks and emphasized the need to pay due attention to ensuring occupational safety and health care for workers to avoid regrettable accidents.