Authorities yesterday abandoned the search for survivors from an illegal mine in south China after weeks of rescue efforts in the flooded pit - the death toll was 123.
With approval of Guangdong provincial authorities, the rescue headquarters ordered the cessation of the rescue work yesterday afternoon. They said there was no hope of survival for the 117 miners who had been trapped for 23 days in the Daxing Coal Mine in Xingning City. The bodies of six miners were found earlier.
Experts at the mine site said yesterday the miners could not have survived in the flooded mine for such a long period.
The mine shaft also contained a huge amount of water, the geological situation was unstable and the search efforts could not be continued safely, said He Jianqing, spokesman for the rescue headquarters.
Over the weekend, rescuers had to suspend the search when a section of the mine collapsed.
After being flooded with water for about three weeks, the coal mine was dangerous and rescuers might risk their own lives, experts said after assessing the safety situation.
The accident occurred on August 7 when 127 miners were working underground. Only four miners escaped.
The mine had been operating without a license and in violation of local government orders to shut down for inspections after a mine flooding in July at another pit in the city; sixteen were killed in that accident.
At least 11 people responsible for the illegal mine were arrested as they attempted to flee, police said.
Investigators were probing whether corruption was involved in the mine disaster.
Authorities said the families of the victims would be compensated.
China's coal industry is plagued by high fatality rates caused by rampant accidents. The General Administration of Work Safety showed the country turned out about 2 billion tons of coal last year, at the cost of 6,000 miners' lives.
Coal mine accidents nationwide killed 2,672 miners in the first six months of the year, an increase of 33 percent over the same period last year.
Most of the victims were farmers who had just left the land to earn more working in coal mines.
The work safety administration has urged local governments to improve supervision of mines and related facilities and to improve a sense of responsibility to prevent more disasters.
Some experts urge heavier penalties for those held directly responsible for coal mine deaths. Those convicted in major workplace accidents face seven years of imprisonment.
(Xinhua)