Rescuers searching the missing workers at Daping Coal Mine opened a passage where 48 miners were located on October 26, hailing it a breakthrough in the six-day rescue.

By entering the passage, which had been blocked in the course of a coal mine gas blast, rescuers found bodies of 36 miners, bringing the death toll to 122. The position where another 12 miners were located has been fixed and rescue workers continue to dig.

Opening of the access was also conducive to the rescue of 14 miners in another location. Water is being drained from the 1,200-meter-long coal passage, said an official in charge of the rescue efforts.

The gas blast occurred at the Daping Coal Mine of Zhengzhou Coal Industry Group, a listed state-owned company, at 10:10 p.m. last Wednesday when 446 miners were working underground, and only 298 managed to escape.

The death toll of the accident has climbed to 122, and another 26 people remain missing.

Donations sent to coal mine victims' families

The family members of the victims of the Daping Coal Mine accidents in central China's Henan Province have received 3.7 million yuan (approximately US$ 445,800) and relief materials donated by people at home and abroad Tuesday.

The majority of cash was donated by Chinese power companies, including the

Henan Branch of the China Power Investment Co. The coal mine has also received

10,000 pieces of relief materials such as instant noodles, milk and ham sausage

so far.

The death toll of the coal mine accident has climbed to 122 with 26 still

missing. Leaders of the coal mine vowed to double their search efforts.

A gas explosion occurred at the coal mine under the Zhengzhou Coal Industry

Group, a state-owned company based near Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, at

10:10 p.m. last Wednesday when 446 miners were working underground. Only 298

managed to escape.