Poland in mourning after 23 mining deaths

Updated: 14:21, Thursday, 23 November 2006

The Polish President has declared three days of national mourning as the rescue operation at a mine in the south of the country was wound down after the last two bodies were recovered.

1 of 1 Ruda Slaska, Poland 23 killed in disaster
Ruda Slaska, Poland
23 killed in disaster

The Polish President, Lech Kaczynski, has declared three days of national mourning as the rescue operation at a mine in the south of the country was wound down after the last two bodies were recovered.

23 people died in the disaster at the Halemba mine in Ruda Slaska.

It was the worst mining accident since 1979 when 34 miners were killed in an explosion in the same region.

Three miners made it out alive and six bodies were recovered in the initial emergency operation after Tuesday's explosion.

Rescuers had hoped to find some of the remaining 17 miners alive, but all of their bodies were later recovered.

A spokesman for the state mining company said it was likely they had died at the moment of the explosion.

Prime Minister Kaczynski said there would be a public inquiry into the disaster, with signs that some of the miners were inexperienced and insufficiently qualified.

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