Efforts intensify to reach 10 trapped coal miners in Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Efforts to rescue 10 miners trapped in a collapsed and flooded coal mine in northern Mexico intensified Thursday with tons of of individuals concerned within the operation, authorities mentioned.

The collapse occurred after the miners breached a neighboring space crammed with water on Wednesday, officers mentioned. Authorities had not reported any contact with the trapped miners because the collapse.

The miners are trapped between two 200-foot deep mine shafts greater than half flooded with water, Undersecretary of Protection Agustín Rádiala Suástegui mentioned Thursday. Rescuers have been working to pump water out of the flooded mine.

A Nationwide Guard aircraft was anticipated to reach Thursday with six particular forces scuba divers who may enter the mine when situations permit.

Civil Protection Coordinator Laura Velázquez mentioned that 5 miners had managed to flee the collapse. Three of them remained hospitalized. Authorities had initially reported 9 trapped miners Wednesday, however revised that quantity to 10 on Thursday.

The mine is in Sabinas, about 70 miles southwest of Eagle Go, Texas. The mine started operations this 12 months, and the native authorities mentioned it had not obtained any complaints or stories of earlier incidents.

In June and July of 2021, cave-ins at two Coahuila mines claimed the lives of 9 miners.

Mexico’s worst mining accident additionally occurred in Coahuila on Feb. 19, 2006, when an explosion ripped by the Pasta de Conchos mine whereas 73 miners have been inside. Eight have been rescued with accidents together with critical burns. The remaining died and solely two of their our bodies have been recovered.

López Obrador’s administration promised two years in the past to get better the remaining 63 our bodies, a extremely technical endeavor that has nonetheless not begun.

The Pasta de Conchos Household Group made up of kinfolk of these misplaced in that tragedy mentioned in an announcement late Wednesday that the brand new mining accident exhibits that the structural risks that led to the Pasta de Conchos collapse haven’t been addressed. There’s a lack of inspections, complicity with mining firms and little safety for staff.

They referred to as on the federal government to do every little thing potential to rescue the miners and assessment mining situations within the space.