CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The body of a coal miner was found early Thursday in a mine that flooded in southern West Virginia, announced Governor Patrick Morrisey.
The unfortunate discovery was made at Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc.'s Rolling Thunder Mine, located near Belva, approximately 50 miles east of the state capital, Charleston.
Last Saturday, a mining crew encountered an unexpected pocket of water about three-quarters of a mile into the mine, resulting in flooding after a compromised old mine wall. Thankfully, more than a dozen other miners were confirmed safe in the aftermath of the incident.
This was the third fatal incident at an Alpha facility in West Virginia this year. Previous accidents included a miner struck by an elevator and another contractor who was crushed by a fallen coal seam, according to the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.
In response to the flooding, crews drilled holes in the mine to expedite the search for any possible air pockets. Teams from the National Cave Rescue Commission utilized surplus Army phones to improve underground communication during the rescue operations.
Rolling Thunder is one of 11 underground mines managed by Tennessee-based Alpha Metallurgical Resources in West Virginia, which also includes four surface mines in the state and additional operations in Virginia.
Governor Morrisey added that the abandoned mine adjacent to Rolling Thunder had historical operations dating back to the 1930s and 1940s.
A February report indicated that although the Rolling Thunder coal seam lies near Twentymile Creek, there were no significant hydrological concerns about further coal extraction in the area.
