THE DEATH toll in a coal mine collapse in Pakistan's Balochistan's Sanjdi area has risen to 11 after rescuers recovered seven more bodies, officials said.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening, about 40 kilometres from Quetta, due to a methane gas buildup that triggered an explosion and caused the mine to cave in.
Abdullah Shawani, the head of the province's mining department, said rescue teams have recovered 11 bodies after three days of operations.
Efforts are ongoing to locate the last trapped worker.
“There are little chances of the last worker surviving for so long in the collapsed mine,” Shawani said.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind confirmed the explosion was caused by gas accumulation and stated that the rescue progress has been slowed by toxic gas and debris.
An investigation is underway to determine whether proper mining regulations were followed.
Pir Muhammad Kakar, a leader of the mines workers association, attributed the incident to the lack of enforcement of mining regulations.
He blamed officials in the mines department and demanded strict action against those responsible.
Coal mine collapses are frequent in Balochistan, where hazardous working conditions and poor safety standards persist.
In March last year, 12 miners died in a similar gas explosion in Harnai.
In 2018, 23 workers were killed and 11 injured in a Sanjdi mine collapse, and in 2011, gas explosions in another Balochistan mine claimed 43 lives.
(With inputs from PTI)
Michael Gove
Jeremy Hunt
