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Death toll in mine accidents reaches 37

Published:Monday | August 1, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Relatives mourn over a coffin with remains of a miner killed in a mine accident in Bazhanova coal mine in the small town of Makeyevka in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, yesterday. Some 37 persons were killed in two separate mine accidents in eastern Ukraine on Friday. Yesterday was declared a mourning day nationwide. - AP

 KIEV (AP):

Rescue workers have found the bodies of all the Ukrainian miners missing after accidents at two coal mines in the east of the country. This raises the final death toll to 37.

The accidents highlighted the dangers of Ukraine's mining industry, believed to be one of the most dangerous in the world because of outdated equipment and disregard for safety regulations.

The Emergencies Ministry said Sunday the blast at the Suhodilska-Eastern mine in the Luhansk region on Friday killed 26 workers. Investigators suspect the accident was caused by an explosion of methane.

In the Donetsk region, 11 miners were killed the same day when an elevator collapsed.