12 Workers Trapped for a Week in a Chinese Mine Tell Rescuers They're Alive as They Ask for Help

Photo: Xinhua/Wang Kai via GettyA group of Chinese miners has made contact with rescue crews a week after they became trapped thousands of feet underground.According to theBBC, rescuers received a handwritten note from the miners on Sunday night, which read: “Don’t stop trying to reach us.“The message was attached to a wire cable the rescue team used to send food rations and other supplies to the group as they looked for possible signs of life.The miners have been trapped in the Hushan gold mine since Jan. 10 after an explosion damaged an exit and communications system, the outlet reported.Rescuers had spent days attempting to make contact with the victims, and were finally given hope when one of the ropes sent into the mine was tugged upon.The letter to the rescuers said that of the 22 miners who were trapped, 10 remain missing.Of the 12 who are confirmed to be alive, four are injured, and the lives of others are in danger due to a lack of clean air and high levels of water in the area,Agence France-Pressereported.Xinhua/Xinhua via GettyXinhua/Wang Kai via GettyIn the message, the miners made requests for pain killers, medical tape and anti-inflammatory drugs.“We are in urgent need of medicine, painkillers, medical tape, external anti-inflammatory drugs, and three people have high blood pressure,” the note to rescuers said, according to AFP.“Keep on with the rescue efforts,” the message continued, theAssociatedPressreported. “We have hope, thank you.“According to BBC, the mine’s operators failed to report the accident for more than a day, costing rescue teams much-needed time to begin their efforts.“Next step, we’ll continue to use life detectors and other equipment to contact those trapped underground,” a rescuer told the outlet. “At the same time, we’re speeding the clearing of the main shaft and drilling additional rescue holes.“Two officialshave already been fired in the fallout over the incident, and an investigation has been opened into the cause of the explosion, AFP reported.RELATED VIDEO: Girl Rescued After Dangling From Ski Lift At New York ResortDue to poorly enforced regulations, China has dealt with a number of fatal accidents at mines in recent months, BBC noted.In early December, 18 miners in Chinadied from a carbon monoxide leak at a coal mine. Just months before that in September,a conveyor belt at another mine caught fire, causing carbon monoxide to rise to dangerous levels and killing 16 workers.

Photo: Xinhua/Wang Kai via Getty

A group of Chinese miners has made contact with rescue crews a week after they became trapped thousands of feet underground.According to theBBC, rescuers received a handwritten note from the miners on Sunday night, which read: “Don’t stop trying to reach us.“The message was attached to a wire cable the rescue team used to send food rations and other supplies to the group as they looked for possible signs of life.The miners have been trapped in the Hushan gold mine since Jan. 10 after an explosion damaged an exit and communications system, the outlet reported.Rescuers had spent days attempting to make contact with the victims, and were finally given hope when one of the ropes sent into the mine was tugged upon.The letter to the rescuers said that of the 22 miners who were trapped, 10 remain missing.Of the 12 who are confirmed to be alive, four are injured, and the lives of others are in danger due to a lack of clean air and high levels of water in the area,Agence France-Pressereported.Xinhua/Xinhua via GettyXinhua/Wang Kai via GettyIn the message, the miners made requests for pain killers, medical tape and anti-inflammatory drugs.“We are in urgent need of medicine, painkillers, medical tape, external anti-inflammatory drugs, and three people have high blood pressure,” the note to rescuers said, according to AFP.“Keep on with the rescue efforts,” the message continued, theAssociatedPressreported. “We have hope, thank you.“According to BBC, the mine’s operators failed to report the accident for more than a day, costing rescue teams much-needed time to begin their efforts.“Next step, we’ll continue to use life detectors and other equipment to contact those trapped underground,” a rescuer told the outlet. “At the same time, we’re speeding the clearing of the main shaft and drilling additional rescue holes.“Two officialshave already been fired in the fallout over the incident, and an investigation has been opened into the cause of the explosion, AFP reported.RELATED VIDEO: Girl Rescued After Dangling From Ski Lift At New York ResortDue to poorly enforced regulations, China has dealt with a number of fatal accidents at mines in recent months, BBC noted.In early December, 18 miners in Chinadied from a carbon monoxide leak at a coal mine. Just months before that in September,a conveyor belt at another mine caught fire, causing carbon monoxide to rise to dangerous levels and killing 16 workers.

A group of Chinese miners has made contact with rescue crews a week after they became trapped thousands of feet underground.

According to theBBC, rescuers received a handwritten note from the miners on Sunday night, which read: “Don’t stop trying to reach us.”

The message was attached to a wire cable the rescue team used to send food rations and other supplies to the group as they looked for possible signs of life.

The miners have been trapped in the Hushan gold mine since Jan. 10 after an explosion damaged an exit and communications system, the outlet reported.

Rescuers had spent days attempting to make contact with the victims, and were finally given hope when one of the ropes sent into the mine was tugged upon.

The letter to the rescuers said that of the 22 miners who were trapped, 10 remain missing.

Of the 12 who are confirmed to be alive, four are injured, and the lives of others are in danger due to a lack of clean air and high levels of water in the area,Agence France-Pressereported.

Xinhua/Xinhua via Getty

Xinhua/Wang Kai via Getty

In the message, the miners made requests for pain killers, medical tape and anti-inflammatory drugs.

“We are in urgent need of medicine, painkillers, medical tape, external anti-inflammatory drugs, and three people have high blood pressure,” the note to rescuers said, according to AFP.

“Keep on with the rescue efforts,” the message continued, theAssociatedPressreported. “We have hope, thank you.”

According to BBC, the mine’s operators failed to report the accident for more than a day, costing rescue teams much-needed time to begin their efforts.

“Next step, we’ll continue to use life detectors and other equipment to contact those trapped underground,” a rescuer told the outlet. “At the same time, we’re speeding the clearing of the main shaft and drilling additional rescue holes.”

Two officialshave already been fired in the fallout over the incident, and an investigation has been opened into the cause of the explosion, AFP reported.

RELATED VIDEO: Girl Rescued After Dangling From Ski Lift At New York Resort

Due to poorly enforced regulations, China has dealt with a number of fatal accidents at mines in recent months, BBC noted.

In early December, 18 miners in Chinadied from a carbon monoxide leak at a coal mine. Just months before that in September,a conveyor belt at another mine caught fire, causing carbon monoxide to rise to dangerous levels and killing 16 workers.

source: people.com