After a long period of silence, miners trapped underground in eastern
China cling onto hope as they managed to send up a note to rescuers more than a
week after a blast at a gold mine, the local government said on Monday, AFP
reported.

The efforts of the rescuers bore fruit as they were able to drill
through the mine on Sunday afternoon and said they heard ‘knocking sounds’.

In a note reviving hope, the trapped miners informed that 12 out of the
22 miners stuck underground were still alive, the local government said in a
statement on Monday.

“We wish the rescuers won’t stop so that we can still have hope.
Thank you”, the note read.

The miners requested for antihypertensive drugs and warned that they
were trapped in a lot of underground water.

“We are in urgent need of cold medicine, painkillers, medical tape,
external anti-inflammatory drugs, and three people have high blood
pressure,” the note read.

Footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed rescuers sending a metal wire
with food parcels attached down to the miners, then later pulling the wire back
up with the note attached.

Also Read | Rescuers hear knocking sound as they look for 22 trapped Chinese miners

The explosion badly damaged the communications system and exit ladder
from the mine, which is owned by the Shandong Wucailong Investment Co. Ltd. Two
officials have already been sacked over the accident.

The blast occurred eight days ago on Sunday afternoon at a gold mine near
Qixia city in eastern Shandong province, leaving 22 miners trapped underground
more than 600 metres from the mine’s entrance.