11 Chinese Miners Saved As Rescuers Race To Find Remaining 10

Beijing, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jan, 2021 ) :Rescuers in east China on Sunday pulled 11 miners from hundreds of metres underground where they had been trapped for two weeks, state media reported, as the race to locate the remaining 10 intensified.

The miners were brought to the surface starting from around 11 am Sunday, state broadcaster CCTV reported -- a major breakthrough for a rescue operation that has captivated the nation.

One miner was in "extremely weak physical condition" and rushed to hospital, CCTV said.

The 11 miners were rescued after the air ventilator shaft was cleared, the official state news agency Xinhua reported, citing the operation's command centre.

A further ten remain unaccounted for.

Specialist teams have been battling difficult conditions since an explosion at the Hushan mine in Shandong province trapped the miners underground amid rising waters on January 10.

The explosion occurred in a ventilator shaft, causing a blockage that damaged the cable car.

On Sunday morning the huge obstacles suddenly fell to the bottom of the shaft, allowing the operation to take a big step forward, rescue expert Du Bingjian said.

"After the obstacles fell to the bottom of the shaft, the rescue team started to bring up the miners and suspended the drilling work," Du told the Global Times.

"It is currently unclear when the rescuers will reach the Sixth Central Section where the missing miners are believed to be."