MOSCOW: At least 13 miners were trapped underground following the collapse of a gold mine in far eastern Russia, as confirmed by regional officials.
The catastrophe occurred in the Zeysk district of the Amur region, where a portion of the mine suffered a collapse, trapping the workers within. While the Emergencies Ministry reported 13 persons trapped, the regional prosecutor’s office indicated that the number could be as high as 15.
Efforts to rescue the miners were immediately launched, with emergency responders mobilizing to reach the trapped miners. The miners were reportedly stuck at a depth of 125 meters (410 feet), prompting rescue operations via a ventilation shaft, as per Russian media reports.
At present, authorities have refrained from speculating on the cause of the accident. However, past mining mishaps have often been attributed to breaches of safety protocols.
