22 trapped in flooded coal mine in China

Twenty-two people were trapped when a coal mine was flooded in the Chinese city of Xiaoyi, as a result of illegal mining, local authorities said on Thursday.

The accident took place at around 11 p.m. on Wednesday at a coal mine in Duxigou Village, Xixinzhuang Township in Shanxi province.

Quoting officials, state-run Xinhua news agency said that an initial investigation showed that a total of 22 people were working under the ground at the time of accident.

Rescue work is underway. The local public security department has detained three suspects involved in the accident and is hunting the mine owner who has fled, the report said.