12 Trapped Miners Not Found Alive
Update: What a travesty. Contrary to media reports that 12 of the 13 trapped miners had been found alive, it now turns out only one miner has been saved.
Grief and anger replaced jubilation early Wednesday as mine officials announced that, despite earlier reports, only one of 13 trapped miners had survived a West Virginia mining accident. ate Tuesday, word spread among family members that 12 miners had been found alive at the Sago Mine. Celebrations erupted as church bells rang out.
Hours later, however, some miners' loved ones -- some angry, others silently dejected -- began leaving the community church that had been their sanctuary since the ordeal began Monday morning. What they had to say was unbelievable in light of the earlier news of a "miracle" in the mine.
The few who would talk to the gathered media said mining officials had told them only one of the miners had survived. Mining company officials then confirmed it at a news conference.
How could this have happened?
Hatfield said "miscommunication" between rescue crews and the command center had caused the earlier erroneous reports that 12 miners had survived. In all, 12 miners died, including a man whose body was found closer to the mine entrance Tuesday evening. The sole survivor, Randall McCloy Jr., was in critical condition and being transported Wednesday to West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown after being stabilized at nearby St. Joseph's Hospital.
This is more than just egg on the face of the media, and an unexcusable slap in the face of the already traumatized family members.
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Orig Post Tuesday, 10:14 pm
This is great news. MSNBC is reporting that 12 of the trapped W. Va. miners have been found alive.
Twelve miners caught in an explosion in a coal mine were found alive Tuesday night, more than 41 hours after the blast, family members said. Bells at a church where relatives had been gathering rang out as family members ran out screaming in jubilation.
Earlier, rescue crews found one body late Tuesday in a West Virginia mine where 13 miners were trapped after an explosion, but they held out hope that the others were still alive.
[Via Brad Blog]
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