An operation to rescue 13 people trapped underground following the collapse of a gold mine in Russia’s Amur Region has entered its seventh day.
There has been no contact with those inside the Pioner (Pioneer) mine, but there is hope that they may still be alive, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported on Sunday. The facility has good ventilation, while the groundwater that flows into the shaft is drinkable, the outlet explained.
The mine collapsed on March 18 when 13 workers employed by a contractor specializing in mine-development operations were inside. Since then, rescuers have been working around the clock to reach them. Hundreds of tons of rock have been removed from the pit, and the first of three planned curtain walls – which are needed to ensure the safety of the response teams – has been set up.
Rescuers are in the process of drilling four surveillance shafts to find out what happened to the miners, according to the Amur Region’s administration. They’ll be used to deploy a special camera that can work at a depth of up to 300 meters and is resistant to water.
Access roads are also being prepared to install a powerful water pump at the Pioner mine, which would allow water to be removed from the pit more effectively, it added.
The regional authorities also said on Monday that a ground-penetrating radar will arrive on site in the coming days. It’s needed to quickly assess the state of rock masses, ice and water inside the mine as the response effort continues.
Relatives of the trapped miners have arrived in the nearby town of Zeya. They’re being provided with daily updates about the rescue operation. Psychologists from the Emergencies Ministry are also providing them with assistance, according to the administration.
On Monday, the local branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee announced that the managing director of the Pioner mine had been detained. A criminal case on the violation of safety regulations during the execution of works had earlier been launched in relation to the incident.
