Trapped Miners in NE China May Survive

Trapped miners in NE China may survive

FUXIN, Liaoning, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) — Seven miners trapped underground following a cave-in in a colliery in Northeast China’s Liaoning Province may survive as rescue work is going on smoothly, rescuers said on Sunday.

The rescuers have shortened their distance to the trapped miners from 33 meters to 25 meters by 8 p.m. Sunday after nine hours of digging.

The trapped miners have the chance to survive, the rescuers said, as they were not buried under piles of stones and ventilation remained normal inside the shaft.

The cave-in occurred at around 7:45 p.m. Saturday in Aiyou Colliery affiliated to the Fuxin Mining Group. A neighboring tunnel collapsed when miners were digging a new one. The cave-in blocked the way for the seven miners to go out.