Mine rescue effort suffers setback

The attempt to pull nine trapped miners from a shaft 240ft underground has stopped after rescuers' drill bit broke.

The thick metal bit became stuck and broke as workers tried to cut through hundreds of feet of solid rock.

Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker says another bit is being flown in by helicopter.

The halting of drilling has hampered efforts to reach the men, who have been trapped in the flooded shaft for almost 36 hours.

Mr Schweiker says the workers had bored through 100 feet of rock before the mishap.

"We've had a setback," he said. "We've got quite a way to go."

Crews are working to get the broken drill bit out of the rescue shaft claims the governor. They also were hoping to start digging a second rescue shaft, but preparations for that would take hours.

Encouraged by tapping sounds and underground movement heard on Thursday, crews are hoping to reach the tiny chamber and use the 2 1/2-ft-wide shaft to pull survivors out.

Officials cautioned that they did not know how many men might still be alive. They have been trapped since Wednesday night.