USA: President George W Bush offers support to trapped Utah miners

President Bush is offering federal help to recover trapped miners in Utah, although mine owner says he's unclear on when rescue teams will be able to reach them. Six miners remained trapped deep underground on Wednesday (August 8), more than two days after a Utah mine collapsed, as special drills inched slowly toward the chamber where the men were thought to be. President George W. Bush began an event at the Treasury Department in Washington by expressing concern for those trapped in the mine. "Our nation's thoughts and prayers are with the miners and their families, and that the federal government will help in any way we can," said Bush. Officials said it would take two days for the drills to bore through some 1,500 feet (457 metres) of rock, sandstone and coal to where they believe the six are stranded -- dead or alive -- in the mine. At that point, rescuers should be able to determine if the miners survived and provide them air, water and communication, but mine co-owner Robert Murray said it would take at least a week before the men could be brought out. The miners have not been heard from since the mine, located in the Manti-La Sal National Forest in remote central Utah, caved in early on Monday. "I really don't know," said Murray. "I don't know whether the seismic activity is going to start again. I don't know how much rubble is between our activity of the recovery and where the miners are." Rescue crews were forced to retreat from what was seen as the fastest way to reach the miners, using an abandoned mine shaft, after falling rock made it too dangerous, and had moved only some 310 feet (100 metres) closer since the cave-in. A bitter dispute erupted over the cause of the accident, with the mine's owner insisting an earthquake was responsible after geologists had said seismic activity detected at the same time was probably caused by the cave-in itself.

ITN Source | August 9, 2007

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