Ten miners missing after tremor hits Zofiowka mine
A tremor shook the Zofiowka coal mine in southern Poland in the early hours on Saturday, leaving ten miners missing, according to a statement by the mining conglomerate JSW, the mine owner.
The tremor involved "an intensive outflow of methane", JSW said.
Twelve rescue teams have been trying to reach the missing miners.
JSW deputy CEO Edward Pazdziorko said 52 people had been working in the affected area and 42 of them managed to pull out.
High concentration of methane may hinder the rescue operation as the pipeline supplying fresh air to the location has been damaged, Pazdziorko warned.
On Wednesday, four miners and one rescuer were killed after two methane explosions in the nearby Pniowek coal mine. Attempts to rescue seven miners trapped below ground have been abandoned due to further methane blasts.
But Pazdziorko said the Zofiowka situation was different from Pniowek as the methane there had not been ignited.
Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister, called the latest report "shattering news". (PAP)
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