Thirteen miners have been trapped inside a mine in Amur Oblast, according to a report by the Telegram channel 112 on March 20th.
A rockslide occurred in the shaft developed by the Pioneer gold mining company on March 18th. Thirteen workers were trapped under the debris; five of them are residents of Bashkortostan. On March 19th, rescuers reported hearing sounds of someone striking the ventilation pipe at the lower levels of the mine. However, the rescue mission is hindered by groundwater flooding the mine.
Experts from three regions and mountain rescuers from Kuzbass arrived in Amur Oblast to assist in the extraction of the trapped workers at the Pioneer gold mine. They started drilling boreholes in the debris to reach the miners.
The Investigative Committee initiated a criminal case for violation of safety requirements during mining operations.