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Over 70 meters drilled to reach miners trapped underground in Russian Far East gold mine

According to the first responders, a total of about 263 meters must be drilled

MOSCOW, March 21. /TASS/. More than 70 meters have been drilled in an emergency rescue operation to reach a group of miners trapped underground after the collapse at the Pioneer gold mine in the Amur Region in Russia’s Far East, the Russian Emergencies Ministry press service told TASS.

"The drilling of a borehole is currently ongoing; we have already drilled 71 meters in depth. The logistics of delivering high-precision drilling machinery from the Kuzbass [mining region in Siberia] is being worked out to optimize the [rescue] operation," a ministry spokesperson said.

According to the first responders, a total of about 263 meters must be drilled. Given the current speed, the work will take around 36 more hours. The Emergencies Ministry said that the miners may be stuck at a depth of as much as 125 meters.

"The installation of the second drilling machine is in progress. In addition, an underground drilling machine will be delivered in the near future, which will further accelerate the productivity of the work and pass to different points of the mine to determine all possible places where people may be located," the press service added.

Rescuers and engineers are working around the clock under tough conditions, the Emergencies Ministry said. To prevent repeated breakthroughs of rock and water into the mine crater, mine rescuers are erecting water-proof cofferdams, monitoring the pit crater, accounting for incoming water and rock. "Debris removal and water pumping for the earliest possible access to the victims is being carried out from all possible approaches. All rescuers involved in the emergency response operation are highly professional specialists and have extensive experience in handling the aftermath of such accidents," the ministry noted.

On March 18, a rock collapse occurred at the Pioneer gold mine in the Amur Region. According to the Emergencies Ministry, 13 miners are trapped under the rubble. Rescue work is now underway at the mine, which is being complicated by the inflow of water. Russian President Vladimir Putin received reports on the incident from Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov and Amur Region Governor Vasily Orlov. A state of emergency has been declared in the region to mobilize all forces and equipment.

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