US mine rescue bid resumes

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.

“We are making progress,” said Gov Mark Schweiker, who predicted rescuers could begin making attempts to pull miners out by lunchtime.

After switching to a smaller bit, one shaft had been drilled to 134ft and a second shaft had bored down 161ft, Mr Schweiker said. Officials believed the miners were 240ft below ground.

Mr Schweiker said the families of the trapped miners were encouraged when he showed them a handful of limestone from a depth of 150ft.

He also reported further progress in efforts to reduce the water level inside the mine.

Crews spent most of Friday in a frustrating struggle to get the broken 1,500lb bit out of the 100ft-deep hole and install a new bit rushed in by helicopter.

“It puts you in a prayerful mood,” said Mr Schweiker, who has been meeting with officials and relatives at the Quecreek Mine 55 miles south-east of Pittsburgh. “It’s going painfully slow.”

No clear signal from the miners had been heard since midday Thursday. Rescuers twice tried to listen for the men yesterday, but noise from rescue equipment made it too difficult to hear if the men were making tapping sounds or other noises.

Mary Unger, 87, said her son, John, was among the trapped workers.

“He’s my only son,” she said. “It’s awful. The waiting. It seems like things just keep going wrong.”

Workers began drilling the first shaft Thursday night and made good progress until the drill bit broke early yesterday when it hit hard rock or coal about 100ft down. As crews struggled to remove the bit, work began on a second rescue shaft.

There was still hope among rescue crews that some or all the miners, ages 30 to 55, were alive.

Dozens of family members kept a sombre vigil at a fire hall in nearby Sipesville.

Mine experts said that drilling, though slow, was still the best way to reach the men. They said sending divers through coal pillar catacombs flooded with debris-filled water was too dangerous.

The accident happened when the miners broke the wall of an abandoned mine that their maps showed to be farther away. As much as 60 million gallons of water rushed into the shaft where they were working.

Doug Custer was among nine other miners inside when the accident happened. He said he and his colleagues escaped after getting an urgent radio message from the trapped crew: “The water’s on the way. Get out.”

Mr Custer waded through knee-deep water to escape. He was among those awaiting word at the mine yesterday.

“It’s slow and nerve-racking,” he said. “Things aren’t going the way they should.”