Explosion marks another black day for Ukraine coal mines

AT least 19 miners were killed by an explosion that rocked a coal mine in south eastern Ukraine.

It was the former Soviet state's third such tragedy in less than a month.

Two miners were still missing after the blast which occurred 3,560ft underground, the Emergency Situations Ministry said.

Nineteen bodies had been recovered by early yesterday.

Dozens of rescue teams raced to the accident scene at the Zasiadko mine in Donetsk.

The accident was the latest disaster in Ukraine's mines where at least 166 miners have already died this year.

It was not immediately clear what had caused last night's explosion.

On July 7, 35 coal miners were killed in a fire, and two weeks later, on July 21, a methane blast killed six miners and injured 18.

"We can long count the reasons for accidents, but it is obvious that the mines' system of safety control works insufficiently," the State Labour Safety Committee said.