Trapped Chinese miners pulled to safety

All 29 people trapped in a flooded Chinese coal mine were pulled to safety after one day underground on Monday.

Reuters

It is a rare successful rescue operation for China's notoriously dangerous coal-mining sector.

China Central Television showed images of people being taken on stretchers from the coal mine in Sichuan provinces to ambulances as rescuers and onlookers cheered.

All those pulled out were wearing eye masks to protect them from the sun after spending
many hours underground.

State television reported they were in stable condition.

22 of the trapped were miners, while the other seven were rescuers who also became stuck whilst trying to free the workers.

There were at least 35 miners at work when flood waters started pouring in on Sunday, although 13 managed to escape.

Official statistics show that 2,631 Chinese miners died last year alone. Independent labour groups say the actual figure may be much higher.

The government has repeatedly vowed to shut dangerous mines and strengthen safety, but the accidents are frequent as mines rush to pump out the coal on which China need for about 70 per cent of its energy.