BOGOTA: Thursday marked the conclusion of rescue efforts at a coal mine in central Colombia that collapsed earlier this week. Officials reported that the accident had killed 21 workers.
After an explosion that blocked several of the mine's entrances, the mine near Sutatausa collapsed late Tuesday. For more than 30 hours, rescue teams searched continuously for survivors and recovered bodies.
The governor of Cundinamarca province, Nicolás Garca, stated that nine workers had survived the accident and had been discharged from the hospital, and that the families of the miners who had perished were receiving psychological assistance. All of the miners who were present at the time of the accident, according to officials, have been located.
Irene Velez, Colombia's Minister of Mines, stated on Thursday that methane in the mine was the cause of the explosion. She stated that the complex would remain closed until the cause of the explosion is determined by authorities.
Coal and gold mine accidents are particularly common in Colombia. The National Mining Agency reported 117 accidents at mines across the nation in the past year, resulting in the deaths of 146 workers. AP) 03170245 NNNN RDT