Body of Missing Coal Miner Found in Submerged West Virginia Mine, Governor Announces
Rescue crews have recovered the body of the coal miner who had been missing since a WV mine was inundated with water on the weekend, according to the state’s governor on the fourth day.
The body was discovered inside the Rolling Thunder Mine near Belva, approximately 80 kilometers east of the capital city of Charleston.
Information of the Mining Accident
A mining crew had encountered an unknown pocket of water last Saturday about three-quarters of a mile into the underground site, which flooded after an historic barrier gave way, officials said. More than a dozen other miners were accounted for after the incident was reported.
Previous Deaths at Mining Facilities
This death marks the third incident at a mining facility in West Virginia this calendar year. The other two took place in nearby Raleigh county: one incident in August when an lift being tested struck a worker on a first-floor platform, and a second in February when a coal seam fell on a contractor at another site.
Search and Rescue Attempts
Holes were created in the underground area in an attempt to speed up the rescue mission, and underwater specialists explored possible locations in the water where air pockets might be present. Advanced communication tools were supplied to enable better subsurface contact over long ranges.
About the Mine
The mine in question is one of 11 subsurface operations operated in West Virginia by the Tennessee-based company. The business also runs four surface mines in the state, as well as additional mining locations in Virginia.
The governor noted that the disused site next to Rolling Thunder had been in operation during the mid-20th century.
Engineering Report
A study prepared in the winter for the operator by an engineering consulting firm indicated that the region had been “extensively explored” by previous mine owners, generating substantial archival information that was reviewed in assessing its potential for producing coal.
The same report says that the mineral deposit runs along and below the drainage of a nearby creek, but stated there were minimal water-related risks affecting extraction activities.