MOSCOW, October 28. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on a coal mine accident in central Kazakhstan in which miners were killed.

"Please accept my deepest condolences over the deadly coal mine accident in the Karaganda Region," Putin said in a message as he expressed his hope that miners remaining underground would be rescued.

There were 252 miners in the ArcelorMittal-operated Kostenko coal mine when the accident occurred, killing around 30 people. As many as 18 miners sought medical assistance, while the search for almost 20 others is ongoing.

Tokayev ordered the cabinet to halt investment cooperation with ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the republic’s largest miner, in the wake of the accident.