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Rescuers in Ecuador Find Boot, But No Miners

21 October 2010 04:59 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Ecuadorian emergency teams searching for two men trapped in a gold mine since Friday have broken through a six-meter-thick barrier of rock and wood, finding signs of life, but no miners, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.

Officials at the mine about 400 kilometers southwest of the capital, Quito, say rescuers found two lamps and a boot Wednesday in the underground cavity where they believe the men are trapped.

Ecuadorâ€™s deputy minister of non-renewable resources says the foul smell that comes from decomposing bodies is not present in the mine, leaving rescuers hopeful that the pair still may be alive.

Earlier, officials were doubtful, saying the temperature, humidity and oxygen levels in the mine were unacceptable for survival.

The two missing miners were with two other workers in the mine Friday when a cave-in occurred, trapping the men about 150 meters below the surface.

The bodies of two miners were recovered Saturday. There has been no contact with the two remaining workers.

Ecuadorean government mining official Jorge Espinosa said he believes water levels in the mine contributed to the collapse. Three workers were injured during rescue efforts Monday when muddy ground began to give way in a section of the mine.

Relatives of the trapped miners have been gathering at the site, waiting for news of the rescue effort.

The accident follows international attention on mining after last weekâ€™s dramatic rescue of all 33 miners in Chile who had been trapped underground for more than two months.