Rescuers have found the bodies of missing miners in the coal mine gas explosion in central China's Henan Province, bringing the number of confirmed death to 12.

The search operation had come to an end, Wei Xiujun, chief engineer of the Pingdingshan Coal (Group) Co., Ltd., said Sunday.

Twenty-four miners were working in the No.10 mine of the Pingdingshan Coal (Group) Co., Ltd. in Pingdingshan City when the explosion occurred at 3:00 AM Monday.

Twelve managed to escape while the other 12 were trapped.

The corporation is among the top ten coal producers in China with an annual output of more than 30 million tons.

An investigation in the cause of the accident is underway.

(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2007)