A rescue operation to free two Australian gold miners trapped underground for 13 days suffered further delays today as teams were forced to shore up an escape shaft before trying to cut through the final yard of a rock barrier.

RESCUERS feared two Australian miners would have to spend a 13th night nearly 3,000 yards underground, as a solid rock barrier forced rescuers to use explosives to blast the final stretch of an escape tunnel.

The mood was sombre but determined at Beaconsfield Gold Mine, as explosive specialists set small charges in an attempt to cut through the final yards of rock and free Brant Webb, 37 and Todd Russell, 34.

Two Australian gold miners spent a 12th night trapped underground as rescuers worked in relays tonight to cut the final stretch of an escape tunnel by hand.

Rescuers are making good progress drilling an escape tunnel for two Australian miners trapped for more than a week in a tiny cage nearly 3,000 feet underground, officials said today.

Two Australian miners trapped for more than a week in a tiny cage more than a half mile underground were today given iPods to help them while away the hours as rescuers prepared to start drilling them an escape tunnel.

Two men entombed in an Australian gold mine for a week will probably be freed without major medical problems, a rescue official said today, as a special drill was assembled to bore through tonnes of collapsed rock.

TWO Australian miners trapped underground after a small earthquake have told rescuers that they want just one thing after their rescue: bacon and eggs.

Rescuers were drilling through rock today to reach two gold miners trapped underground.

Two workers trapped nearly 3,000 feet underground in an Australian gold mine for almost a week have been found alive by rescuers but remain trapped, the mine’s manager and a local official said today.