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| Race to free trapped Utah miners | Race to free trapped Utah miners |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Rescuers in the US state of Utah are bringing in more drilling equipment to try to free six miners trapped in a collapsed coal mine since early Monday. | Rescuers in the US state of Utah are bringing in more drilling equipment to try to free six miners trapped in a collapsed coal mine since early Monday. |
| So far there has no been no contact with the men, thought to be about 1,500 feet (457m) below the surface and 3.4 miles (5.5km) from the mine entrance. | So far there has no been no contact with the men, thought to be about 1,500 feet (457m) below the surface and 3.4 miles (5.5km) from the mine entrance. |
| "We'll get them back but it may be as much as three days," the head of the mining company told reporters. | "We'll get them back but it may be as much as three days," the head of the mining company told reporters. |
| The mine is built into a mountainside, 140 miles (225km) from Salt Lake City. | The mine is built into a mountainside, 140 miles (225km) from Salt Lake City. |
| The collapse was initially blamed on an earthquake but experts have since suggested the shafts may have caved in with enough force to register on seismographs. name="text"> Hundreds of rescuers worked throughout Monday at the Crandall Canyon mine, near the town of Huntington, digging and drilling through rock and debris. | |
| CRANDALL CANYON MINE Located in Manti-La Sal National Forest, 16 miles (25km) from HuntingtonUses the "retreat mining" method, which experts say is one of most dangerous Coal pillars hold up area of mine's roof. When completely mined, pillars are pulled, causing intentional roof collapse class="" href="#graphic">Mine layout and location | |
| But an attempt to reach the miners via a parallel shaft failed and search teams were forced to withdraw amid further rock falls. | But an attempt to reach the miners via a parallel shaft failed and search teams were forced to withdraw amid further rock falls. |
| "I'm very disappointed. That's one step backward," said Robert Murray of Murray Energy Corporation - the parent company of Genwal, the firm that runs the mine. | "I'm very disappointed. That's one step backward," said Robert Murray of Murray Energy Corporation - the parent company of Genwal, the firm that runs the mine. |
| "We will be on our feet until we get these men out, one way or another," he said. | "We will be on our feet until we get these men out, one way or another," he said. |
| It is thought the miners, if they survived, have enough air and water to last several days. | It is thought the miners, if they survived, have enough air and water to last several days. |
| There has been no contact with the men since the mine collapsed at around 0250 local time (0848 GMT) on Monday. | There has been no contact with the men since the mine collapsed at around 0250 local time (0848 GMT) on Monday. |
| Judy Bishop, whose cousin was among the trapped miners, told Reuters news agency the families were "hopeful but sombre" as they waited. | Judy Bishop, whose cousin was among the trapped miners, told Reuters news agency the families were "hopeful but sombre" as they waited. |
| "I always have hope. When you give up hope you give up life. I won't give up hope," she said. | "I always have hope. When you give up hope you give up life. I won't give up hope," she said. |
| Rescuers have been working inside the mine but crews have been also been drilling from the outside. | Rescuers have been working inside the mine but crews have been also been drilling from the outside. |
| Heavy mining equipment is brought in to help with the rescue efforts | Heavy mining equipment is brought in to help with the rescue efforts |
| A helicopter-borne drill was being brought in to bore down through the mountaintop from early on Tuesday, Mr Murray said. | A helicopter-borne drill was being brought in to bore down through the mountaintop from early on Tuesday, Mr Murray said. |
| The US Geological Survey reported a 3.9 magnitude earthquake at the moment of the mine collapse, prompting speculation that the quake had triggered the cave-in. | The US Geological Survey reported a 3.9 magnitude earthquake at the moment of the mine collapse, prompting speculation that the quake had triggered the cave-in. |
| But the USGS National Earthquake Information Center raised the possibility that the collapse could have caused a seismic wave. | But the USGS National Earthquake Information Center raised the possibility that the collapse could have caused a seismic wave. |
| US federal mining inspectors have issued a number of citations for alleged safety violations at the mine in recent years. name="graphic"> The mine's owners insist the facility is safe. | |
| class="bodl" href="#text">Return to story | |
| Are you in the area? Do you work at or have connections with the mine? Send us your details using the form below. | Are you in the area? Do you work at or have connections with the mine? Send us your details using the form below. |