Rescue efforts at NZ mine face further delay
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Efforts to rescue 29 men trapped in a New Zealand coal mine faced further delay on Sunday when authorities said a new shaft to test air quality would need to be drilled before rescue teams could enter. There has still been no contact with the miners since an explosion ripped through the colliery on the rugged west coast of New Zealand's South Island on Friday afternoon.
Rescuers have been unable to enter the mine due to the presence of gas, including methane, and tests conducted on Saturday showed the levels of gas were only slowly abating. A new shaft will be drilled from the surface to enable additional air tests to be completed, a process which could take as much as an additional 24 hours, authorities said. (Reuters)
