A coal company in Russia's far northern Komi region was scheduled to begin pumping water early Friday into a mine where a recent series of explosions had killed 36 people, the TASS news agency reported.
The bodies of only 10 of the victims have been retrieved, while others are presumed dead, and access to their bodies has been blocked by continuous fire and more methane gas explosions, according to Russian media reports.
Coal company Vorkutaugol, which is owned by Severstal, expects the efforts to clear rock falls. Efforts to recover victims' bodies at the Severnaya mine will resume after the flooding extinguishes the flames, spokeswoman Tatyana Bushkova was quoted by TASS as saying. The flooding is expected to last 40 to 50 days, she said, TASS reported.
Pumping water into the mine was scheduled to begin early Friday, she was quoted as saying.
Earlier on Thursday, TASS quoted Vorkutaugol spokesman Andrei Kharaikin as saying the company has reached a “final decision” to begin flooding the mine, but was awaiting a court ruling that would declare the 26 miners dead.
Two initial explosions at the Severnaya mine on Feb. 25 killed four miners and trapped 26 others. Another explosion on Feb. 28 hit the mine section where the 26 workers had been trapped, set off a fire, and killed five rescuers and a mine employee.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
