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Race to free trapped Utah miners Race to free trapped Utah miners
(about 3 hours later)
Rescuers in the US state of Utah are bringing in more drilling equipment to try to free six miners trapped in a collapsed coal mine since early Monday. Rescuers in the US state of Utah are to begin drilling through a mountainside to try to free six miners trapped in a collapsed mine since early on Monday.
So far there has no been no contact with the men, thought to be about 1,500 feet (457m) below the surface and 3.4 miles (5.5km) from the mine entrance. Vertical and horizontal shafts will be drilled to try to reach an abandoned mine close to the site of the accident.
"We'll get them back but it may be as much as three days," the head of the mining company told reporters. An initial attempt to break the seals of the old mine failed late on Monday.
The mine is built into a mountainside, 140 miles (225km) from Salt Lake City. So far there has been no contact with the men, thought to be 1,500ft (457m) below ground and 3.4 miles (5.5km) from the entrance of Crandall Canyon mine.
The collapse was initially blamed on an earthquake but experts have since suggested the shafts may have caved in with enough force to register on seismographs. name="text"> Hundreds of rescuers worked throughout Monday at the Crandall Canyon mine, near the town of Huntington, digging and drilling through rock and debris. The collapse was initially blamed on an earthquake, but experts have since suggested the shafts may have caved in with enough force to register on seismographs.
CRANDALL CANYON MINE Located in Manti-La Sal National Forest, 16 miles (25km) from HuntingtonUses the "retreat mining" method, which experts say is one of most dangerous Coal pillars hold up area of mine's roof. When completely mined, pillars are pulled, causing intentional roof collapse class="" href="#graphic">Mine layout and location US federal mining inspectors are reported to have issued a number of citations over alleged safety violations at the mine, 140 miles (225km) from Salt Lake City, in recent years.
But an attempt to reach the miners via a parallel shaft failed and search teams were forced to withdraw amid further rock falls. 'Sparing no expense'
"I'm very disappointed. That's one step backward," said Robert Murray of Murray Energy Corporation - the parent company of Genwal, the firm that runs the mine. Hundreds of rescuers worked throughout Monday at the Crandall Canyon mine, near the town of Huntington, digging and drilling through rock and debris.
"We will be on our feet until we get these men out, one way or another," he said. name="text">
It is thought the miners, if they survived, have enough air and water to last several days. They had hoped to reach the miners via an adjacent, abandoned mine shaft, which could have put them within 100ft (30m) of the miners, but they were forced to withdraw amid further rock falls.
We will be on our feet until we get these men out, one way or another Robert MurrayChairman, Murray Energy Corporation
Afterwards, rescuers spent the night clearing a road outside the mine to allow a large drilling rig to reach the site. Another drill was also brought in by helicopter.
The chairman of the parent company of Genwal, the firm that runs the mine, said his workers would drill vertically from the top of the mountain while others would bore horizontally into the mountainside to reach the adjacent shaft.
Robert Murray of Murray Energy Corporation said the rescuers were "using every means known to mankind" to reach the miners.
"We're sparing no expense to bring every mining machine that we have in Utah in here," he told reporters.
"We will be on our feet until we get these men out, one way or another. We just may get them out in two or three days unharmed."
Mr Murray said the miners, if they survived, had enough air and water to last several days.
Hope
There has been no contact with the men since the mine collapsed at around 0250 local time (0848 GMT) on Monday.There has been no contact with the men since the mine collapsed at around 0250 local time (0848 GMT) on Monday.
Judy Bishop, whose cousin was among the trapped miners, told Reuters news agency the families were "hopeful but sombre" as they waited. CRANDALL CANYON MINE Located in Manti-La Sal National Forest, 16 miles (25km) from HuntingtonUses the "retreat mining" method, which experts say is one of most dangerous Coal pillars hold up area of mine's roof. When completely mined, pillars are pulled, causing intentional roof collapse class="" href="#graphic">Mine layout and location
Judy Bishop, whose cousin was among the trapped miners, told Reuters news agency the families were "hopeful but sombre".
"I always have hope. When you give up hope you give up life. I won't give up hope," she said."I always have hope. When you give up hope you give up life. I won't give up hope," she said.
Rescuers have been working inside the mine but crews have been also been drilling from the outside.
Heavy mining equipment is brought in to help with the rescue efforts
A helicopter-borne drill was being brought in to bore down through the mountaintop from early on Tuesday, Mr Murray said.
The US Geological Survey reported a 3.9 magnitude earthquake at the moment of the mine collapse, prompting speculation that the quake had triggered the cave-in.The US Geological Survey reported a 3.9 magnitude earthquake at the moment of the mine collapse, prompting speculation that the quake had triggered the cave-in.
But the USGS National Earthquake Information Center raised the possibility that the collapse could have caused a seismic wave. But the USGS National Earthquake Information Centre raised the possibility that the collapse could have caused a seismic wave.
US federal mining inspectors have issued a number of citations for alleged safety violations at the mine in recent years. name="graphic"> The mine's owners insist the facility is safe. US federal mining inspectors have issued more than 300 citations for alleged safety violations at the mine since January 2004. Of those, 116 were considered "significant and substantial" and likely to cause injury.
When asked about safety, Mr Murray insisted his company ran a very safe coal mine.
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