A Shandong mining company has reached initial compensation agreements with the families of 172 miners trapped underground for more than a month, whose deaths were formally declared by the rescue authority yesterday.
Huayuan Coalmine Group has agreed to pay each family about 360,000 yuan, more than the usual 200,000 to 300,000 yuan for similar types of mine accidents.
Families that agree not to recover the bodies would probably get 50,000 to 60,000 yuan more on top, said Qiang Jianguo , the elder brother of one of the victims, Qiang Weiguo .
Floodwaters breached a levy and flooded the mine in Xintai on August 17. Rescuers have been unable to reach the miners and pumps have been unable to empty the mine.
In remarks posted yesterday on the website of the State Administration of Work Safety, its head, Li Yizhong , admitted for the first time that all 172 workers trapped in the mine, plus nine trapped in another nearby, were dead.
Mr Li said the accident had been caused by a 'severe natural disaster', but he had said previously human error could be partly to blame.
Xintai city government propaganda official Lin Xi said yesterday rescue teams had announced the deaths several days ago but had not notified the media.
