The nine Pennsylvania coal miners who were trapped underground for 77 hours have sold the TV and book rights to their story to Walt Disney for dlrs 150,000 (€152,000) each, their lawyer said.

NINE miners rescued from a mine in Pennsylvania were in surprisingly good condition yesterday after their three-day ordeal, doctors said.

After a day of frustration caused by a broken drill bit, rescuers in Pennsylvania said today they were getting closer to nine miners trapped deep underground in a cramped, flooded mine shaft.

Faint tapping from 300ft underground has raised hopes that nine Pennsylvania coal miners may still be alive after they became trapped in a flooded shaft.