ASTANA, October 29. /TASS/. The death toll in an accident at the ArcelorMittal-operated Kostenko coal mine in the city of Karaganda in central Kazakhstan has climbed to 36, the press service of Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry reported.

"As of 15:00 (9:00 GMT - TASS), the bodies of 42 dead have been found, the search for five miners continues," the statement said.

Earlier, it was reported about 38 fatalities as a result of the incident.

On October 28, an accident occurred at the Kostenko mine of the Arcelormittal Temirtau company. There were 252 people in the mine at that moment, more than 200 went up to the surface on their own. Eighteen people sought medical help.

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared nationwide mourning for the victims of the mine accident in Karaganda on October 29. Tokayev ordered the cabinet to halt investment cooperation with ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the republic’s largest mining company, in the wake of the accident.

The Kazakh government has reached a preliminary agreement with ArcelorMittal Temirtau shareholders, and the deal to transfer the company’s ownership to the Republic of Kazakhstan is currently being finalized.