Bodies of four missing US miners found

US authorities said crews found the bodies of four miners missing nearly a week since an explosion at a coal mine, bringing the death toll to 29.

Officials said the mission now is to recover all 22 bodies still inside the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, 30 miles from Charleston.

The new deaths mean it is the worst coal mine disaster in the US since 1970 when 38 were killed at Finley Coal in Hyden, Kentucky.

Authorities said early today that they will start bringing out the bodies so they can be identified.

Seven bodies were recovered soon after Monday’s blast. The first funerals were held yesterday.