13 bodies trapped in Iran coal mine found

Thirteen more bodies were found during search and rescue operations at an Iranian coal mine which was hit last week by an explosion caused by methane gas buildup, a top official confirmed on Monday.

Accumulation of methane gas at the Zemestanyurt coal mine in Golestan province's Azad-Shahr city triggered the blast on May 3 and killed 35 miners who were working at a depth of 1,200 metres. Twenty-two bodies were found on Sunday, Press TV reported.

"After rescue workers reached the site of the explosion in the second tunnel (dug for rescue purposes at the mine), they managed to reach the 13 bodies. The workers are trying to take the bodies out," the official said.

The explosion also left 73 other workers injured.

President Hassan Rouhani travelled to the city on Sunday to address the situation and met the survivors, reports Press TV.

Rouhani called for the incident to be probed "so that such disasters do not repeat in the future".

The mine commenced operations 13 years ago, and there were reports that the equipment used was in dire need of repair or replacement.

--IANS

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