Nineteen minors were found dead Monday My Chaider in the northwestern part of Qinhai Province
China. The victims were trapped underground after the cellar collapsed on August 14. A survivor and a dead man were brought to the surface a few days after the tragedy, but rescuers were unable to locate other minors before the start of this week.

“Since Monday morning, relief efforts have been completed and 19 people have been found trapped in the search, none of whom showed any vital signs,” state television CCTV quoted the rescue team as saying.

Frequent accidents

The operation, which lasted about 30 days, involved more than a thousand people, working in extreme conditions at an altitude of more than 3,800 meters. The mine is located on the high plateau of Jinghai-Tibet, often referred to as the “roof of the world”.

Accidents are common in Chinese mines where safety standards and regulations are poorly adhered to. In January, 11 miners were rescued from a collapsed mine in eastern Shandong province and trapped hundreds of meters underground for two weeks. In February, an explosion at a gold mine in the same province killed 10 people.