Three days needed to reach six trapped miners, company says

Aug 7, 2007, 16:31 GMT

Washington - Rescuers will need at least three days to reach six miners trapped underground after a cave-in in a mine tunnel in the western US state of Utah, the mine's owner said Tuesday.

Robert Murray, whose company, Murray Energy Corp, owns the mine's operator Utah American Energy Inc, said in a televised press conference that six miners trapped early Monday when a tunnel collapsed were located about 457 metres under ground and it remained unclear whether the men were still live.

Rescuers were 600 metres from the miners and 'if everything goes right' three days would be needed to break through to where the miners are located and determine if they are alive, he said. Several additional days would then be needed to free them.

Rescuers drilled from several directions throughout the night, but were not able to make substantial progress.

If the miners are alive, they should have access to enough food, water and oxygen to survive several days in the mine shaft if necessary, Murray said.

He stood by early reports that the collapse had been caused by a small 4.0 earthquake. Later speculation said the mine collapse itself may have registered as an earthquake or even set off one. He lashed out at news reports that said mining methods may have been at fault for the collapse.

Southeastern Utah has a history of past mine disasters. In 2000, two men died during an explosion at the Willow Creek mine; in 1984, a fire in the Wilberg mine killed 27; a 1924 explosion took 172 lives at the Castle Gate mine, and the Scofield mine disaster of 1900 claimed 200.