(5 Sep 2014) A miner in Bosnia on Friday spoke about the dramatic moment when a gas explosion triggered a tunnel collapse which has trapped 34 miners underground.
"It just wiped us out," said Muris Tutnjic, adding, "They got covered. But I think they will pull through."
The union leader at the Raspotocje coal mine, Mehmed Oruc, said two tunnels in the mine collapsed on Thursday evening following a gas explosion triggered by a minor earthquake that had hit the area near the town of Zenica.
Oruc said the miners are more than 500 metres (1,600 feet) underground, but are alive and have enough air.
He added that rescuers are hopeful the miners will be brought out soon.
The President of Bosnia's mining union, Sinan Husic, said at the scene that machinery recently brought in to dig through the collapse should quicken the rescue.
Anxious family members gathered at the entrance to the mine awaiting news.
They have accused the management of a poor response to the crisis, saying the reacted slowly and initially claimed that only eight people were trapped inside the pit.
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