A methane gas explosion at a coal mine in southwestern Pakistan killed 34 miners, authorities said on Friday, despite an overnight rescue attempt.
Rescuers recovered 32 bodies from the mine on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, and were working to retrieve the remaining two, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said in a statement.
Mine inspector Ghani Baloch said authorities initially believed 42 people had been inside the mine when the explosion occurred Thursday.
Balochistan’s Minister for Mines and Minerals, Shoaib Nosherwani, expressed condolences to the victims’ families and announced compensation of 500,000 Pakistani rupees (about $1,800; £1,330) for the family of each victim.
He said authorities would investigate the cause of the explosion and review safety measures at coal mines across the province.
Emergency responders initially recovered seven bodies hours after the incident, followed by the discovery of 25 more. A provincial disaster management agency confirmed that search and rescue operations are continuing as teams work to locate and retrieve the remaining trapped individuals.
Mr Baloch indicated that rescue operations would continue until all trapped miners were accounted for, though he expressed a grim outlook for those still missing.
"The chances of finding anyone alive diminish after methane gas explosions because oxygen levels drop to zero, and rescuers are also proceeding cautiously inside the mine," Mr Baloch stated.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation has pointed to suspected negligence as the cause of the explosion, calling for accountability.
The union urged the government to strictly enforce safety regulations and take decisive action against companies that violate mine safety laws.
Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan’s coal mining industry, particularly in Balochistan, where many mines lack adequate ventilation, gas-monitoring systems and other basic safety measures.
Despite the dangers and low wages, thousands of workers rely on coal mining for their livelihoods in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least-developed province, where poverty and unemployment remain widespread.
