Miners trapped underground in China

A blast in a coal mine killed 44 miners in China's Shanxi province yesterday but hope grew for 96 others still trapped underground after some used mobile phones to contact their relatives, Xinhua news agency reported.

It said 436 miners were working underground when the accident occurred at Shanxi Jiaomei Group's Tunlan mine in Gujiao City near Taiyuan, the provincial capital.

Xinhua said 114 miners were taken to hospital, where 44 died.