All trapped miners are alive, doctor says

All workers, who were trapped inside a damaged mine 36 hours ago, are alive, Sergei Bezus, director of the Novoshakhtinsk healthcare department, told journalists.

Specialists have gone down below to aid the miners, Bezus added.

Warm clothes have been lowered; moreover, two doctors are already working there. The first miners will only be raised some 60-90 minutes from now, Bezus explained. The thing is that an inspection cage can't descend because its path is blocked by a girder, he added.

About 10 ambulance teams are still staying at the scene.