115 rescued from flooded mine

Half of the 115 workers rescued from a flooded mine in north China are now being transferred to big city hospitals for better medical treatment. Meanwhile,the search for 38 workers still trapped is continuing around the clock at the site in Shanxi Province.

Miracles were witnessed early Monday morning when the first group of survivors was taken out of the shaft.

Miracles were witnessed early Monday morning when the first group of survivors was taken out of the shaft.

And in the following hours, more survivors were brought to the surface.

Applause was heard over and over again from the crowd of rescuers and safety authorities waiting at the pit entrance.

Luo Lin, director of State Administration of Work Safety, said, "We've seen two miracles. One was made by the trapped workers themselves. They've been in the shaft for 8 days and survived. Also, the rescue plans we made were very efficient. This led to a miracle in China's mining rescue history."

The flood occurred on March 28th.

After a week's efforts, rescuers were eventually able to enter the flooded mine on Sunday evening, when water levels dropped low enough.

A rescuer said, "It was 10:27 in the evening. I was observing the water level and the gas condition when I saw swaying lamp lights not faraway. Then I reported the discovery immediately."

Now the survivors are being treated at five hospitals near the mine.

Doctors say most of them are in stable condition, but dozens are reportedly in "relatively serious" condition.

Some of the patients departed on a special train for key hospitals in the provincial capital Taiyuan to receive better treatment.

Rescuers are still attempting to find the remaining survivors. They are believed to be trapped on two platforms which have still not been reached.