CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A miner's body was recovered early Thursday from the flooded Rolling Thunder Mine near Belva, West Virginia, as officials work to assess the cause of the tragic incident.
The flooding was triggered last Saturday when a mining crew unexpectedly hit a pocket of water about three-quarters of a mile into the mine, compromising an old wall and leading to significant flooding.
Despite the efforts of dive teams and drilling holes to expedite the search, the incident marks a sad moment in the mining community as it adds to a growing list of fatalities at Alpha Metallurgical Resources within the year.
A report indicates that over a dozen other miners were accounted for, but the safety regulations are again under scrutiny following this incident, which echoes similar tragedies of the past.
West Virginia’s mining industry, hazardous as it is, calls for renewed focus on safety protocols to prevent future disasters.
