Russia Endures Mining Drama

27/10/2003| IslamWeb

Hope is still being kept flickering alive for the 13 Russian miners trapped underground in the Zapadnaia pit. Since Thursday the men have been cut off by rising water 80 metres underground, although 20 others who were with them have managed to make it to the surface. It is hoped they have found an air pocket to stay alive, but in 40 hours water will have penetrated all the underground tunnels, despite the throwing of anything the authorities can find down the mineshaft in an attempt to block its passage. "There is still hope and there is still a large probability that the people are alive. The miners who were rescued saw them, so after the mine was flooded they were alive" says Viktor Kapkanshchikov, head of the Emergency Situation ministry. A crowd of relatives is holding a vigil at the pithead, and is being updated on the progress of a tunnel being dug from a parallel shaft in a bid to save the men. It is due to reach them by Tuesday, but water is now entering the mine quicker than before the rescue started, and could flood the other nearby pits **PHOTO CAPTION*** This video grab taken from Russian NTV television channel shows coal miners as they wait to enter the Zapadnaya mine near the town of Novoshakhtinsk, Rostov region. (AFP/NTV Russia)