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First of 22 Chinese miners trapped in gold mine rescued

January 24, 2021. Summarized by summa-bot.

Compression ratio: 51.3%. 1 min read.

A miner who was trapped underground in a gold mine for more than two weeks in eastern China has been rescued, Chinese state media reported.

(CNN)A miner who was trapped underground in a gold mine for more than two weeks in eastern China has been rescued, Chinese state media reported.

One miner is believed to be dead after sustaining a head injury in the blast, state media said.

Ten people are stuck in the mine's chamber 600 meters (1,969 feet) underground, but they are in contact with the outside world because rescue workers were able to drill a channel into a section the mine and install a telephone line, according to Xinhua.

The individual rescued Sunday was not among the 10 miners in contact with rescue workers, authorities said.

Efforts have been underway to reach the workers since the blast occurred about 240 meters (800 feet) from the mine's entrance, but Chinese officials said Thursday it could take 15 days to drill through 70 tons of debris trapping many of the miners.

According to state media, rescue teams are hoping to pull the miners out through a 711-millimeter (28-inch) diameter passage.

Some of the workers in the chamber are trying to help rescuers locate their missing colleagues by using laser pointers and loudspeakers, but they have received no response, Xinhua reported.

Rescue workers are reported to have first heard knocking sounds from those trapped on January 17, followed by pulling on iron ropes.

In September, at least 16 workers in southwestern China died after they became trapped underground in a coal mine and exposed to unsafe levels of carbon monoxide, state media reported.

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