XI'AN -- Bodies of all the eight trapped miners have been retrieved after a gas outburst in a coal mine in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, rescuers said on Sunday.

Rescuers managed pulled out five bodies by Saturday. Three others were found around 4 a.m. on Sunday.

The gas outburst occurred at 5:44 p.m. Friday at the Panlong coal mine in Hancheng City when 15 miners were working underground, according to the provincial work safety watchdog.

Only seven managed to escape, and eight were trapped. High density of methane gas in the mine after the outburst hindered initial rescue operation.

The mine is a newly-built one with a designed annual capacity of 300,000 tons.