22 miners have safely emerged from an illegal mine in north-eastern China after a week trapped underground. Another man’s body was recovered, while three remain missing. From the BBC:
The miners became trapped in the small, illegal mine in Heilongjiang province after accidentally drilling through into a neighbouring pit ….
Xinhua reports that the mine, near the city of Qitaihe, had been ordered to close in 2007 but re-opened illegally.
Hopes that the miners were still alive were revived on Sunday when noises were detected through a 920-ft (280m) pipe that was drilled to allow fresh air into the mine ….
China’s mining industry is the most dangerous in the world, with more than 2,600 miners killed in accidents in 2009 alone.
Source: Miners rescued from flooded illegal Chinese pit – BBC News
