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Search setback will leave miners stranded for week

Aug 8, 2007, 15:31 GMT

Washington - Rescuers will need at least one more week to reach six miners trapped underground following a coal mine cave-in in the western US state of Utah, according to the mine's owner. Efforts to reach the men were halted following seismic activity indicating that a further collapse was possible. All attempts to reach the six men have so far have been unsuccessful and it is still not known whether they are dead or alive. The readings increased the tension between the mine's owner, who claims the initial collapse Monday was caused by an earthquake, and scientists who said that the heavy tremors that coincided with the disaster were likely the mine collapsing. The incident has also focused attention on risky mining practices in which the roof of a mine is deliberately caved in in order to extract all the possible coal. Robert Murray, head of Murray Energy Corporation, which operates the Crandall Canyon coal mine, said late Tuesday that a new collapse inside the rescue area had driven rescuers back to where they started more than 500 metres away from where the miners are believed to be trapped. But while work on the main rescue tunnel was suspended, rescuers kept drilling two small holes to give the miners air and supplies, Murray said. Those tunnels are expected to be ready in two to three days. Murray also said if the miners are still alive, they have enough access to water and oxygen to sustain themselves. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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dAug 8th, 2007 - 21:51:08

MMay God protect them and keep them safe.

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