China confirms 53 killed in February mine collapse

China has confirmed that 53 people were
killed when a coal mine partly collapsed in the northern Inner Mongolia
region in February, according to state media.

Dozens of people had been missing after a 180-metre-high (590-foot) slope
gave way at the open-pit mine in the remote Alxa League, burying people and
vehicles below.

Rescuers initially pulled six survivors and six dead from the debris, but
authorities did not provide further updates for months.

State broadcaster CCTV said Wednesday that 47 people classified as missing
after the incident “had been confirmed to have no vital signs”, citing the
regional emergency bureau.

“The search and rescue work has now finished,” CCTV said, adding that “the
large-scale collapse on February 22… killed 53 people”.

In a sign of the incident’s severity, Chinese President Xi Jinping at the
time ordered authorities to “do everything possible to search for and rescue
the missing people… and protect the security of people’s lives and property
as well as overall social stability”.

Authorities deployed hundreds of personnel and over 100 pieces of equipment
as part of the rescue operation, according to local government statements.

Alxa League is a sparsely populated area whose economy runs largely on mining
and other extractive industries.

Mine safety in China has improved in recent decades, as has media coverage of
major incidents, many of which were once overlooked.

However, accidents still occur frequently in an industry where safety
protocols are often lax, especially at the most rudimentary sites. (BSS/AFP)