China in dilemma over rescue of trapped miners

Chinese rescue teams say it might take more than two weeks until they can save a group of miners trapped hundreds of metres underground.

Authorities made contact with the group of 11 miners last weekend, one has since died after falling into a coma.

Deputy Head of the local publicity department, Gong Haitao said drilling is proving difficult, as it needs to get through particularly hard granite and the miners are trapped far from the surface.

Haitao added that rescuers face an added problem in that the mine is water-logged and there is the risk the chamber where the miners are stuck could flood.