Rescuers drilling shaft to free trapped miners in East China

JINAN -- Rescuers said Thursday that they are drilling a heavily blocked shaft to rescue 21 workers trapped in a gold mine in East China, an effort that will take at least 15 days.

Twenty-two miners have been trapped about 600 meters underground following a mine blast on Jan 10 in Qixia under the city of Yantai, Shandong Province. Rescuers have established contact with 10 miners.

One miner is believed to be dead, rescuers said Wednesday.