Thirty miners trapped underground were still missing in the flooded coal mine in Jiaohe in northeast China's Liaoning Province, and ten rescuers were poisoned by carbon monoxide on Tuesday as rescue work was stepped up, according to the rescue headquarters.

"The rescuers are in stable condition after medical treatment," said Sun Hongzhi, director of Jilin Provincial Coal Administration.

On Monday, 39 miners were rescued from the Tengda Coal Mine which was flooded Sunday when water from the neighboring Ji'an mine gushed into the shaft, trapping 69 workers underground.

At 12:30 AM Tuesday, rescuers were forced to stop their search for the missing because of high carbon monoxide levels. Some rescuers lost contact with the rescue center and ten were choked by the poisonous gas.

All the rescuers were lifted out of the tunnel.

"The priority of the rescue work is to restore the ventilation system," said rescue expert Duan Genghua.

At present, rescuers are discharging the poisonous gas and waiting to continue rescue work.

There is still no information about the remaining 30 miners underground.

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2005)