Desperate bid to free three miners trapped underground in Kemerovo region

The three men are trapped in the Yesaulskaya coalmine in Novokuznetsk after a rock fall. Another 99 men were safely evacuated from the pit. 

‘A hole has been drilled. Blankets, drinking water, food products have been brought down. Contact is maintained with the miners.

'Rescue operation continues,’ said an emergencies ministry source.

Veteran regional governor Aman Tuleyev, 73, has personally spoken to one of the trapped men, Alexey Ilyinykih, explaining the intricate operation to free them.

‘First of all, don't panic,’ he said. ‘We are working on the first plan to rescue you from the side of the rock collapse.

‘Our estimate is there are six, perhaps seven metres of rock. 

‘In case the first plan doesn't work, another path will be to go a longer route which is about eleven metres.’

Rock clearance is being undertaken manually, he said.

The miner told him that so far their oxygen level was satisfactory, and there was no immediate threat from methane gas.

The rescue operations goes on in Novokuznetsk. Pictures: Russian Ministries for Emergencies