China coal mine accident: 2 killed and 1 trapped in flooded pit but 20 rescued
- The operation to save the men began in Shanxi province on Wednesday with hundreds working to drain the coal mine
- Seven suspects have been detained and the mine owner is reported to have fled as authorities vow to crack down on illegal digging operations
Rescuers have found the bodies of two miners and brought 20 others to safety from a flooded coal mine in central China.
One other miner remained trapped underground on Friday night.
The first man was lifted from the pit in Xiaoyi, Shanxi province at 2.15pm on Friday, just hours after signs of life were confirmed by rescuers, according to state broadcaster CCTV. He was rushed to hospital where he is reported to be in a stable condition.
A second man was brought to the surface 45 minutes later with others following at regular intervals as the pace of the recovery operation began to speed up. By around 7 pm, just one remained trapped.
The authorities announced later on Friday that two bodies had also been found.
Hundreds of rescuers had been trying to free the men since Wednesday, draining water from the underground pit. By Friday afternoon, two pumps were removing about 200 cubic metres of water each hour.
CCTV said the mine was illegal and rescue efforts had been hampered by a lack of proper site maps and its hidden entrance, which was only 1.5 metres (5 feet) wide and made it difficult to get rescue equipment into position.
The authorities have vowed to crack down on illegal digging operations, which have spiked amid a surge in coal prices.