Rescuers have brought to surface the first miner, trapped underground as a result of a landslide that occurred at a coal mine in Russia’s republic of Komi, Vorkutaugol spokesman Yevgeny Sukharev said on Sunday.
The saved miner, Rostislav Korniyuk, 1978, will be transported to a hospital for medical examinations.
“The miner is feeling rather well. He is in satisfactory condition. Currently he is being transported to the hospital,” Sukharev said, adding that the miner’s relatives would be able to see him soon.
According to the local emergencies services, the landslide occurred as a result of a rock bump. A ventilation shaft at the mine has not been damaged, the statement said.
All mining operations at Severnaya have been stopped. Twenty rescuers and a firefighting unit are working at the site.
The Severnaya mine is operated by Vorkutaugol, one of the largest mining companies operating in the Pechorsky Coal Basin, Russia’s second largest after Kuzbass. The company is owned by Severstal, one of the biggest steel holdings in Russia, through its subsidiary Severstal-Resurs.