18 trapped for over 45 hours in collapsed gold mine in Xinjiang

(ECNS) -- Rescuers are trying every means to reach the 18 workers trapped underground after a cave-in at a gold mine at around 1 pm on Saturday in Yining county, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Trapped for over 45 hours, the workers are currently losing connection.

As of 2 am on Sunday, the rescuers and workers in the mining area had completed the detection of roadway blockage, wind flow and gas conditions.

"At present, the location of trapped workers has been determined and ventilation underground has been ensured, but the complex conditions in the mine have complicated the rescue work," said Lu Wei, security director of Xinjiang Nonferrous Metal Industry.

On the morning of Sunday, the CNS reporter saw at the rescue site that the rescuers had settled three 50-meters × 50-meter drilling platforms overnight equipped with lighting facilities to expand the communication channel.

After the accident, the rescue headquarters mobilized more than 300 emergency rescuers, more than 80 rescue vehicles, and 467 sets of emergency rescue equipment, and six drilling machines from local companies.

A total of 40 people were working underground when the accident happened in the gold mine which belongs to West Gold Yili Co.in Yining county, and 22 of them were safely lifted out of the mine and 18 were trapped.