Mine will flood in approximately 4 days

Water will reach the miners trapped in the flooded Zapadnaya-Kapitalnaya mine in approximately four days, chairman of the Rostov territorial committee of Rostovugleprof, Vladimir Katalnikov said at a press conference Tuesday.

This estimate is based on measurements taken every 30 minutes of the water level in the mine, which rose, 13 meters overnight, said Katalnikov.

The data show that the inflow of water has stopped. The Emergencies Ministry operational staff reported that the level of water in the mine rose by 10 cm over the past hour.

According to Katalnikov, by 9 a.m. Moscow time, the miners driving a tunnel to the Zapadnaya-Kapitalnaya mine from the side of the neighboring Komsomolskaya Pravda mine, had driven more than 51 meters. They are now drilling an opening, which will make it possible to determine how much further they need to dig. Presumably, this distance is 3-4 meters.

After the miners get into the mine, they will begin searching for the trapped miners. Rescue workers are already in place.

The accident in Zapadnaya-Kapitalnaya mine occurred on Thursday night because water, which had amassed in old underground workings, broke through the shaft and flowed into the mine. As many as 25 miners managed to get to the surface - 46 remained underground.

At 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, 33 miners established contact. The first three men from this group reached the surface at 12:30 p.m. Moscow time. As many as 13 miners are still trapped.