Rescue operations continue following 18 people were trapped underground following a gold mine collapse in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Saturday.
A total of 40 people were working underground when the accident happened around 1:40 p.m. in the Yining district administered by the Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of Ili. Twenty-two miners were extracted from the mine unharmed.
Around 2 a.m. on Sunday, rescuers detected the blockage, airflow and gas conditions in the mine.
“Now, the precise location of the trapped people has been determined. However, the complex underground situation and the instability of the surrounding rocks have posed many difficulties for the rescue work. The 18 people remain out of contact,” Lu Wei said. , chief security officer of Xinjiang Nonferrous Metals Industry (Group) Co., Ltd.
After the accident, the rescue center mobilized more than 300 people, more than 80 rescue vehicles and 467 sets of emergency rescue equipment overnight. Six drill rigs and professional crews rushed to the scene. A plan has also been developed by relief experts and relevant government departments to ensure safe and effective relief.
