19 bodies recovered from flooded Chinese mine

The bodies of 19 miners have been recovered from a flooded coal mine in China, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday.

Rescuers are working to save two miners still trapped underground, Huang Yi , a spokesperson for the State Administration of Work Safety, said at a news conference, the agency reported.

Some 247 miners were working at the Jiangjiawan mine near the city of Datong, northern China, when the shaft flooded shortly before 7 p.m. local time on Sunday.

Xinhua reported that 223 people made it to the surface, and 24 were trapped. Three of the trapped were rescued and taken to a hospital.

Datong Coal Mine Group, which owns the mine, has ordered all its small mines to suspend production for safety checks, according to the agency.

Safety improvements and a falling demand for coal have led to a lower number of deaths at mines in the country in recent years.