Asia-Pacific News
Five die in illegal gold mine in Vietnam
Dec 30, 2011, 3:55 GMT
Hanoi - Four miners and one rescue worker died in an illegal gold mine in a northern province of Vietnam, state media reported Friday.
Toxic fumes were the likely cause of the deaths, said Thang Trong Dung, an official from the Nguyen Binh District Committee in Cao Bang province.
The incident occurred in the district when a group of 10 miners were digging for gold Tuesday, the state-run newspaper Viet Nam News reported.
A rescue worker on Wednesday tried to help them but died when he reached the victims.
On Thursday, authorities tried to retrieve the bodies but failed because the mine is too deep, the online newspaper Dan Tri said.
The government has launched several campaigns to crack down on illegal mines. The initiatives have failed to eradicate the mines because most are located in remote, mountainous areas.
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