A methane gas explosion triggered a mine collapse in a remote region of southwest Pakistan on Thursday night, trapping at least 12 miners underground, The Associated Press reports.
The incident occurred in Singidi, a town within Balochistan province.
Mines inspector Abdul Ghani confirmed the explosion and stated that rescue efforts are underway, with teams carefully removing debris in an attempt to reach the trapped miners. As of Friday, no miners had been reached.
Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind said that all available resources are being utilized in the rescue operation. He also announced that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the collapse. The incident underscores concerns about safety standards in the coal mining industry in the region, which has a history of accidents and fatalities.
This incident comes on the heels of another mining-related development in Pakistan. Just on Thursday, security forces rescued eight of sixteen mine workers who had been kidnapped by local militants.
Search Continues in India for Miners Trapped in Flooded Mine
Meanwhile, across the border in India, hope is diminishing as the search enters its fifth day for several miners trapped in a flooded coal mine in the northeastern state of Assam.
The accident occurred on Monday morning in the Umrangso area, roughly 125 miles south of Guwahati, the state capital. At least nine miners were initially trapped after water flooded the mine from a nearby abandoned site. On Wednesday, army divers recovered the body of one miner.
Local government minister Kaushik Rai stated that there have been no further breakthroughs since the recovery of the body.
