The Xinhua news agency reports that the letter confirmed that 12 of the miners were still alive after the January 10 explosion in the city of Qixia in Shandong province. Four are said to have been injured while the fate of ten others is unknown.
According to Xinhua, the workers wrote that they remain hopeful, but that they need medical supplies.
Xinhua quoted the quote as saying, “We are very exhausted and urgently need stomach medicine, painkillers, medical adhesive tape, external anti-inflammatory drugs, and three people have high blood pressure.”
Rescue efforts have been underway since the blast occurred about 800 feet from the mine’s entrance, trapping 22 workers about 2,000 feet underground, the agency reported.
Rescue workers apparently first heard knocking noises from those trapped Sunday, followed by pulling iron ropes.