Death toll rises to 161 at state-owned coal mine

The death toll of the coal-dust explosion at state-owned Dongfeng Coal Mine in Heilongjiang Province has increased to 161 and ten other miners are still missing on 30 November.

Official reports originally said that 221 miners were working in the pits when the explosion occurred at 9.40pm on 27 November at the coal mine, run by the Qitaihe branch of the Longmei Mining Group Co. Ltd in Heilongjiang. But official records on 30 November showed that 254 miners were registered to be working in the mine when the accident happened. 

The death toll jumped from the previously reported 150 after rescuers retrieved more dead bodies from the mine on 30 November, according to Xinhua News Agency.