A rescue hole has been successfully opened at the site of an explosion on Sunday at Hushan Gold Mine in Qixia, Shandong. Knocks possibly from trapped miners were heard from underground.
Sun Shufu, deputy director of the safety committee of the Yantai Municipal Government and director of the emergency response bureau, said that the No. 3 drilling hole was opened at 1:56 pm at the mine where an explosion last Sunday trapped 22 miners underground.
According to Sun, as the rescuers knocked on the drill pipe, there were up to nine knocks heard in response. It suggested preliminary signs of life, but further confirmation is still needed.
Rescuers will proceed to install casing tubes, deliver nutrient liquid, and lower life detectors and phones to further identify the trapped people.
(Video: Hongxing News, compiled by Peng Temin)