Miner Survives Bonghwa Mine Accident... Endured with Coffee Mix

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Two miners who were trapped in a zinc mining collapse accident in Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongbuk, safely returned after 221 hours.

According to rescue authorities on the 5th, the team leader Park (62) and assistant worker Park (56), who were trapped around 11 p.m. the previous day, walked out of the tunnel. They were transferred to Andong Hospital, and both are reported to be in good health.

They walked to the surface through the second vertical shaft rescue route connected by a cable elevator. The authorities secured the final access route blocked inside the tunnel, and by directly digging out the rocks with a hoe, they expedited the rescue time. The rescue authorities reported that the last closed section of about 30 meters in the '3rd main tunnel (upper tunnel on the plan view),' which was presumed to be covered with large rock masses, was unexpectedly open for about 20 meters.

The rescue point is near where the two miners were working at the time of the accident. A rescue official said they waited with hope, relying on each other while hearing the blasting sounds from the rescue team inside the tunnel.

They survived by drinking coffee mix and water they had brought when they started work on the day of the accident, the 26th of last month, and after finishing those, they drank water dripping inside the tunnel. At the time of rescue, one firefighter and one mine rescue team member jointly participated in the search.

After being supported, the two walked out on their own and were reported to be in good health, able to talk with paramedics in the ambulance.

The Bonghwa mine collapse accident occurred around 6 p.m. on the 26th of last month at the first vertical shaft of the zinc mining site in Jaesan-myeon, Bonghwa, Gyeongbuk, when about 900 tons of mud (estimated by the company) poured down vertically. As a result, two people, including team leader Park, were trapped 190 meters underground in the first vertical shaft.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.