Kerman Coal Mining Company announced they are continuing operations for the rescue of three trapped miners with the construction of a new tunnel.
ILNA reports that the company is to dig a vertical tunnel from above at the location where the experts have determined the mine caved in.
The collapse of this coal mine in Kerman Province 17 days ago trapped four miners. The body of one of the miners was recovered on the first of the collapse but the other three remain trapped under the rubble and their families are still hopeful as the rescue workers continue their rescue operation.
Last week Kerman Governor announced that the miners could not have survived the collapse and since experts had informed him the rescue operations are complicated and unpredictable, he felt that there was no point in endangering more lives for a lost cause.
Today however the PR head of Kerman Coal Mining announced the likelihood that the trapped miners may still be alive.
Four other miners were killed in this mine and according to Iran Labour News Agency in the past year 50 miners have lost their lives in Kerman mines.
According to ILNA the omission of the inspection and safety department of the ministry of labour is at the root of the increase in these fatal accidents.
