A total of 222 people were punished after being held responsible for six catastrophic coal mine accidents that occurred across China since November last year, a government press release said on Friday.

The press release briefed the media about the central government investigation into and handling of the six major accidents. It said that 126 officials, including two vice provincial governors, received disciplinary penalties within the Party or the government, while 40 others were stripped of their administrative posts.

Among the 222 punished, 96 have been handed over to the judicial departments for criminal investigation, it added.

At a press conference jointly held here on Friday by the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) and the Ministry of Supervision, SAWS Director Li Yizhong said the six major accidents had led to a total of 528 deaths.

Two officials punished for responsi-bility over fatal mine accidents

The Chinese government on Friday announced its decision to give disciplinary punishment to two vice provincial governors for their responsibility over fatal mine accidents.

The State Administration of Work Safety said at a press conference that the State Council, China's cabinet, has decided to"record a demerit" on Gong Deshun, former vice governor of the northwestern Shaanxi Province, for his responsibility for a coal mine gas explosion on Nov. 28, 2004 which killed 166 miners.

The State Council also decided to "record a severe demerit" on You Ningfeng, vice governor of the southern Guangdong Province, for a local coal mine flooding accident on Aug. 7, 2004 which killed 121 people.

Gong and You are two of the 222 officials that received different disciplinary penalties for their roles in six major coalmine accidents across the country. Among them, 96 have been handed over to judicial departments for criminal investigation.