Two workers were killed in a rockfall in a coal mine in southern Poland, the operating company PGG said on Tuesday as rescuers searched for another man buried in the incident.
The collapse in the mine in Myslowice-Wesola, Silesia, occurred in the early hours of the morning at a depth of 870 metres. There were 15 miners on site at the time. Eleven of them were rescued, while four were initially missing.
Rescue teams succeeded in rescuing one injured miner who was then taken to hospital. A short time later, rescuers came across two more miners who were confirmed dead by medical staff on the scene.
The fourth miner was presumed to be close to where the other three were found, said a spokesperson for the mine operator. However, there was no contact with the man.
Rockfalls are sudden movements and collapses in rock cavities that are often caused by blasting in mining. As rockfalls are difficult to predict, they are a major safety risk for underground workers and people living in mining areas.