No signs of life from 31 trapped in Chinese mine

Asian Defense News: BEIJING – No signs of life have been detected from 31 coal miners trapped underground for a week by a flood in northern China, state media reported Sunday.

The Mt. Camel Coal Mine in Wuhai city in the northern region of Inner Mongolia flooded on March 1, trapping 77 miners, the official Xinhua News Agency said. It said one was confirmed dead and 45 were rescued. But no contact has been made with the other 31.

A Ms. Zhang who answered the phone at the State Work Safety Administration on Sunday said rescue workers were still searching for the missing miners, but she would not comment on whether authorities had given up hope of finding anyone alive. Like many Chinese officials, she would give only her surname.

Although China's mine safety record has improved in recent years, it is still the deadliest in the world, with blasts and other accidents common.

According to China's Work Safety Administration, 2,631 people died in coal mine accidents in 2009. Many were blamed on lax safety methods and poor training as mining companies scramble to feed the country's voracious demand for coal.