Rescuers are battling to try to reach 11 coalminers trapped underground following a coal mine explosion in central China that killed 26 workers, local media reported on Sunday.
A sudden coal and gas outburst hit the mine in the central province of Henan on Saturday while 276 miners were at work underground. A total of 239 miners made their way to the surface after the accident in the city of Yuzhou, the media reported.
The Henan mine is owned by a consortium, which includes China Power Investment Corp., a major state-owned power producer, the media said.
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has offered to help China. Chile is still celebrating the successful rescue of 33 miners from the San Jose mine in the north of the country where the miners were trapped for two months before they were pulled out alive last week.
The coal industry in energy-hungry China is one of the most dangerous in the world due to poor work safety standards and intensive work schedules. Some 7,000 lives are lost annually in accidents at coal mines in the country.
MOSCOW, October 17 (RIA Novosti)
