Underground coal mine in Colombia explodes, 21 killed

An explosion has ripped through an underground coal mine in Colombia, killing 21 workers. The blast happened at La Preciosa mine in Sardinata, about 400 kilometres north-east of the capital, Bogota, early Wednesday morning local time.

Five of the victims died at the mine's entrance and by Wednesday afternoon two bodies had been removed from the mine with another 14 left to recover, said the provincial Colombian Red Cross director, Johel Enrique Rodriguez, according to WA today.

It happened during a shift change, a busy time when workers were coming and going. 16 miners have yet to be accounted for. Relatives say the men work at La Preciosa mine 400 kilometres from Bogota because no other jobs are available.

It is the second time an explosion has had fatal consequences there, euronews reports.