Emergency responders were hoping to use an underwater drone Sunday to reach a miner trapped deep inside a flooded West Virginia coal mine, authorities said. A mining crew hit an unknown pocket of water Saturday about three-quarters of a mile into the Rolling Thunder mine near Drennen, about 50 miles east of the state capital of Charleston, Nicholas County Commissioner Garrett Cole said in a Facebook post.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in a statement that the mine flooded after an old mine wall "was compromised," and that multiple state agencies are involved in the response, which includes pumping water from the flooded section. Rolling Thunder is one of 11 underground mines operated in West Virginia by Tennessee-based Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc.
Update ...
Governor Morrissey at Rolling Thunder Mine Tuesday night, speaking about latest efforts to find missing miner
woay.com
... Governor Patrick Morrisey spoke at the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County about the operation to find the missing miner Tuesday night.
Governor Patrick Morrissey reports that crews are pumping water at a rate of approximately 6,000 gallons per minute. Major efforts are being made to clear out the water. As water levels decrease, crews are advancing on the drilling portion of the rescue in preparation for additional heavy equipment to arrive.
Governor Morrisey stated that while there are no updates, this remains a search and rescue mission. He also took a moment to praise West Virginians for working together for this miner and keeping him and his family in their thoughts and prayers. ...
More updated update ...
UPDATE: Gov. Morrisey visits Nicholas County mine where rescue is underway
www.wvnews.com
... Gov. Patrick Morrisey visited the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County Tuesday, where crews are pumping water at a rate of about 6,000 gallons per minute in an effort to rescue a miner who has been trapped underground since Saturday afternoon.
Rescue crews at the Rolling Thunder Mine significantly escalated efforts to reach a trapped miner Tuesday, dramatically boosting the rate of water removal to approximately 6,000 gallons per minute.
This rate of water pumping is a significant increase from earlier efforts as additional pumps were brought in to expedite the process, according to Morrisey.
"I've been talking with a number of the workers inside our state agencies and others really to get an update about what's doing on," Morrisey said. "The people are working very, very hard. They're working around the clock trying to do everything possible to rescue the missing miner."
The boost in pumping capacity marks another step in the ongoing effort to reach a miner who has been trapped underground since Saturday afternoon. As water levels continue to drop, crews are also advancing on the drilling portion of the rescue while preparing for additional heavy equipment to arrive. ...
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