GPS News
THE PITS
China confirms 53 'missing or dead' from February mine collapse
China confirms 53 'missing or dead' from February mine collapse
by AFP Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) March 8, 2023

The collapse of a coal mine in northern China last month left a total of 53 people "missing or dead", a top official has said, as search and rescue work appeared to come to an end.

Dozens of people and vehicles were buried when a 180-metre-high (590-foot) slope gave way at an open-pit mine in the Inner Mongolia region's Alxa Left Banner on February 22.

Rescue workers initially recovered six people alive, while another six were found dead, as Beijing's ministry of emergency management urged "all-out efforts" to save 47 workers left unaccounted for.

But the head of the ministry confirmed on Tuesday that no more people had been found two weeks after the incident, adding that the focus was now on ensuring such a disaster would not happen again.

The collapse "left 53 people missing or dead, which has made us extremely sad", Wang Xiangxi said on the sidelines of annual political meetings in Beijing, according to the state-run China Youth Daily newspaper.

"The lessons from this are extremely profound. In the next stage, we will make the prevention of major accidents a top priority of our work," he said.

Authorities would look to ramp up safety measures, ferret out hidden dangers and promote automation in high-risk industries, the newspaper quoted Wang as saying.

An arid, sparsely populated area, Alxa Left Banner's economy relies largely on mining and other extractive industries.

Footage from state broadcaster CCTV at the time of the collapse showed rescue workers and excavators dwarfed by a mountain of rust-coloured rubble.

Mine safety in China has improved in recent decades but accidents are still frequent in an industry where safety protocols are often lax, especially at the most rudimentary sites.

Around 40 people were working underground when a gold mine in the northwestern Xinjiang region collapsed in December.

In 2021, 20 miners were rescued from a flooded coal mine in northern Shanxi province, while two others died.

Related Links
Surviving the Pits

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
THE PITS
UK mine plan pits enthusiasts against environmentalists
Whitehaven, United Kingdom (AFP) March 3, 2023
In the 37 years since the last coal pit closed in Whitehaven, the once-proud mining town on northwest England's remote Cumbrian coast has hit on hard times. Vacant premises litter the main shopping street. Jobs are hard to come by, locals say, with a recently decommissioned nuclear power plant nearby the only big regional employer. Now, plans to open the country's first new mine in decades there promise economic regeneration, and both Britain and Europe with a supposedly "greener" source of cok ... read more

THE PITS
Global food system emissions imperil Paris climate goals

Britain's fresh produce shortages serve up blame game

Kim says N. Korea must meet grain production goals 'without fail'

Syria landmine blasts kill 10 truffle hunters

THE PITS
Dutch to curb chip tech exports for 'security' reasons

Customizing catalysts for solid-state reactions

Novel computer components inspired by brain cells

China issues sharp rebuke of Dutch chips tech export curb

THE PITS
Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific posts first operating profit since 2019

Emissions and contrail study with 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel

Sikorsky long-range hybrid-electric VTOL Demonstrator To Inform Future Military And Commercial Missions

HERON project to increase fuel efficiency in aviation takes flight

THE PITS
VW joins e-car price war as global rivalry heats up

Germany angers EU after putting brakes on fossil fuel car ban

EU delays vote on fossil fuel car ban as Germany holds out

Musk eyes torrid growth at Tesla, but offers no big new reveals

THE PITS
China consumer inflation drops to lowest level in a year

Kaisa plunges as trading resumes; Prada sales slump; Market tracks Wall Street down

Australian PM in India to discuss China, trade and cricket

Silicon Valley Bank, the tech bank causing tremors

THE PITS
France, NGOs pledge 100 mn euros to protect tropical forests

Boreal forest fires a 'time bomb" of carbon emissions

Tree count in Africa drylands could improve conservation: study

Gabonese village fights to save forest from logging

THE PITS
Airbus wins contract from Angola for Earth observation satellite Angeo-1

Yahsat and MBRSC partner on remote sensing and earth observation

UN targets real-time tracking of greenhouse gases

Maxar awarded Phase 3b of One World Terrain Contract for US Army

THE PITS
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.