Rescuers have successfully saved 6 coal miners, who have been trapped in a flooded mine in Heilongjiang Province for about a week, state media reported on Monday. Rescuers are still attempting to reach five miners still stuck in the underground tunnel.

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The miners became trapped in the coal mine in Hegang city after the pit got flooded following heavy rains across the country last week. Up to 15 miners were trapped initially. However, four of them have been confirmed dead.

Pictures provided by Xinhua showed a miner on a stretcher being towed out of the tunnel. It is unclear why it has taken rescuers so many days to reach the miners. Immediately after the incident, rescuers said it would be difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the miners and supply them with oxygen and other supplies.

Authorities have expressed optimism that the miners would be rescued because there is a room in the underground tunnel.  

The flooded mine is run by Xiuxiang Colliery - a privately owned mining company. The miners were reportedly carrying out maintenance work in the underground tunnel, when it became flooded as a result of "mud-rock" flow. The condition of the five miners still trapped underground is unclear at the moment.

Thousands of people lose their lives in mining accidents in China every year. Last year, the number of casualties from mining-related accidents was less than a thousand for the first time in more than a decade. Authorities have blamed illegal mining operations with shoddy safety standards for the high rate of accidents in the country.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, rescuers have successfully saved all 11 miners, who got trapped in a mine in Yunan Province after it collapsed on Saturday. The rescue operation, which lasted for up to 40 hours, reportedly involved hundreds of firefighters. The mine collapse is said to have been caused by heavy rains. Rescuers say the fact that ventilation facilities in the colliery remained operational after the collapse contributed to the survival of all 11 miners.

TagsChinese Miners Rescued, China Coal Miners, China Mine Collapse, China Mine Accident, China Mine Flood, China Coal Mine Flood, China Coal Mining, Xiuxiang Colliery, Xiuxiang Colliery Mine Collapse