The body of one of the 56 miners who have been trapped in a flooded coalmine in Shanxi Province for more than 20 days was found on Wednesday. Whereabouts of the remaining 55 are still unknown.

The Xinjing Coalmine in Zuoyun County flooded on May 18.

A total of 266 workers were working underground at the time. Only 210 managed to escape.

Rescue operations have been hampered because the owner of the mine destroyed design drawings and other important documents relating to the mine.

As at 6:00 PM Wednesday, rescuers have pumped out 346,113 cubic meters of water. The pumping continues, but rescuers are reportedly unoptimistic about finding anyone alive.

(China.org.cn, Xinhua News Agency June 15, 2006)