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| Fresh moves to free Utah miners | Fresh moves to free Utah miners |
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| Rescuers in the US state of Utah are to begin drilling through a mountainside to try to free six miners trapped in a collapsed mine since early on Monday. | Rescuers in the US state of Utah are to begin drilling through a mountainside to try to free six miners trapped in a collapsed mine since early on Monday. |
| No contact has been made with the men, and the mine owner said rescuers would take three days to reach them. | No contact has been made with the men, and the mine owner said rescuers would take three days to reach them. |
| Rescuers have transported a large drilling rig to the area, after a road was cut through the surrounding forest. Another drill arrived by helicopter. | |
| The men are thought to be 1,500ft (457m) below ground. | |
| If the miners survived the collapse, they will have enough air and water to last several days, the mine company said. | If the miners survived the collapse, they will have enough air and water to last several days, the mine company said. |
| 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 Mine layout and location | 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 Mine layout and location |
| 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. | 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. |
| However, Robert Murray of Murray Energy Corporation is still insisting that an earthquake caused the collapse. | However, Robert Murray of Murray Energy Corporation is still insisting that an earthquake caused the collapse. |
| "This was an earthquake, contrary to what others might have you believe," he said. | "This was an earthquake, contrary to what others might have you believe," he said. |
| US federal mining inspectors are reported to have issued a number of citations over alleged safety violations at the mine, 140 miles (225km) from Salt Lake City, in recent years. | US federal mining inspectors are reported to have issued a number of citations over alleged safety violations at the mine, 140 miles (225km) from Salt Lake City, in recent years. |
| The mine's owners insist that their facility is safe. | The mine's owners insist that their facility is safe. |
| The miners are thought to be 3.4 miles (5.5km) from the entrance of Crandall Canyon mine. | |
| Attempts were being made in a number of different ways to rescue the men but the mine company said it would take three days to reach them, if everything goes well. | |
| "Progress has been too slow, too slow," Mr Murray told reporters, saying rescuers were initially hoping to drill a 2in hole into the cavity in which the men are trapped. | "Progress has been too slow, too slow," Mr Murray told reporters, saying rescuers were initially hoping to drill a 2in hole into the cavity in which the men are trapped. |
| "At that point we will know whether they're alive or dead," Mr Murray said. | "At that point we will know whether they're alive or dead," Mr Murray said. |
| Hope | Hope |
| Overnight on Monday, hundreds of rescuers at the Crandall Canyon mine, near the town of Huntington, drilled through rock and debris. | |
| They had hoped to reach the miners via an adjacent, abandoned mine shaft, but were forced to withdraw after moving just 50ft because of "geological and geotechnical problems". | |
| "The families are doing well considering the circumstances," said Mr Murray, describing the incident as "a tragedy for them and for America". | "The families are doing well considering the circumstances," said Mr Murray, describing the incident as "a tragedy for them and for America". |
| Judy Bishop, whose cousin was among the trapped miners, told Reuters news agency the families were "hopeful but sombre". | Judy Bishop, whose cousin was among the trapped miners, told Reuters news agency the families were "hopeful but sombre". |
| "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. |
| US federal mining inspectors have issued 325 citations for alleged safety violations at the mine since January 2004. Of those, 116 were considered "significant and substantial" and likely to cause injury. | US federal mining inspectors have issued 325 citations for alleged safety violations at the mine since January 2004. Of those, 116 were considered "significant and substantial" and likely to cause injury. |
| Experts have said the number of citations is not unusual, and the mine's owners have insisted they run a safe mine. | Experts have said the number of citations is not unusual, and the mine's owners have insisted they run a safe mine. |
| Return to story | 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. |