It is reported that Rescue workers Sunday safely pulled out three coal miners in northern China who were trapped underground for eight days after a shaft collapsed.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the men were in stable condition after being rescued from the pit of a coal mine in Shenmu County in northern Shaanxi province. Medical staff wrapped the workers in thick coats and rushed them to a hospital.

The report said the three miners were among 27 workers in the Yongxing Gaozhuang Coal Mine when a shaft collapsed October 17th. The other 24 workers had managed to escape.

Xinhua said trapped underground, the three men found an area with ventilation and a water source for drinking, which sustained them for six days until rescuers drilled a channel to deliver food and drinking water to them.

It said rescuers were finally able to reach the miners Sunday after digging a tunnel. An investigation into the cause of the accident was under way.

China mines remain the world deadliest, although the closing of many small, dangerous mines has halved the average number of miners killed to about six a day in the H1 of this year. Most accidents are blamed on failures to follow safety rules including a lack of required ventilation or fire control equipment.

(Sourced from AP)