2 rescued, 14 trapped in flooded Heilongjiang colliery

Rescuers send relief supplies to the underground after a coal mine was flooded in Qitaihe city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, Dec 2, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

HARBIN - Rescuers on Sunday pulled two miners out alive while 14 others remain trapped after a coal mine in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province was flooded on Saturday, according to local government sources.

The two miners were escorted out of the mine at noon Sunday before being rushed to hospital, an official from the city's publicity department told Xinhua.

A total of 22 miners were working underground when the accident happened at 11:40 pm Saturday at Furuixiang Coal Mine in Qitaihe city. Six miners managed to escape.

Rescuers said they were laying conduits and installing facilities, which will start pumping water out of the pit this afternoon.

Local authorities said the flooded colliery was a licensed site operated by Furuixiang Coal Co., Ltd.