Rescuers said on Sunday that nine Chinese miners missing for a week since their mine shaft flooded were almost certainly dead, though no bodies have been found, state media reported.
Clothing and tools that belonged to the miners have been found but the men remain missing and were likely buried under debris or swept to the bottom of the eastern China mine by the floodwaters, rescuers told Xinhua news agency.
The accident happened October 28 in Jiangxi province, trapping 10 miners. One was later rescued. The report gave no details on how the flood occurred.
China's coal mines are among the most dangerous in the world, as safety standards are ignored in the quest for profits and to meet the nation's booming energy demands.
