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Colombia mine gas blast kills 18 Colombia mine gas blast kills 32
(about 6 hours later)
A gas explosion at a coal mine in north-eastern Colombia has killed at least 18 miners. A gas explosion at a coal mine in north-eastern Colombia has killed 32 miners, officials say.
Officials said they were trying to reach another 14 men who were trapped underground, but their efforts were being hampered by the presence of gas. Twenty-two bodies have been recovered, but rescue workers said 10 others who were still missing could not have survived the force of the blast.
"It would be a miracle if they were alive," the head of the rescue attempt told Reuters news agency. They added that the shafts were still filled with deadly gases.
The La Preciosa mine is located near the town of San Roque in Norte de Santander state. The explosion occurred at La Preciosa mine near the town of San Roque in Norte de Santander district, about 580km (360 miles) north of Bogota.
The rescue effort resumed early on Sunday after being suspended overnight. Four bodies were recovered immediately after the explosion on Saturday.
The blast on Saturday was caused by "some spark and the gas that was inside", Fernando Rosales, Norte de Santander's civil defence chief said . Rescue operations were suspended overnight, but resumed on Sunday, when another 18 bodies were found.
Colombia's civil defence authorities appealed on national radio for a gas extractor to help remove large quantities of trapped methane. The blast was caused by "some spark and the gas that was inside", Fernando Rosales, Norte de Santander's civil defence chief said .
Norte de Santander is an area contested by left-wing rebels and far-right paramilitary militias fighting a decades-old guerrilla war. One miner is reported to have been injured in the explosion.
The government said it was stepping up its supervision of Colombia's mines.
In 2001, a gas explosion in northern Colombia caused part of a coal mine to collapse, killing 15 workers underground.In 2001, a gas explosion in northern Colombia caused part of a coal mine to collapse, killing 15 workers underground.
In 1997, 16 miners were buried alive after a blast at coal mine in the same region in what was the country's worst mine disaster.In 1997, 16 miners were buried alive after a blast at coal mine in the same region in what was the country's worst mine disaster.