Rescuers are still pumping water from a coal shaft in the search for six miners trapped in a flooded northeast China colliery since Tuesday.

Investigators said 11 miners were trapped when the flooding occurred Tuesday afternoon at the Fusheng Coal Mine in Boli County, Heilongjiang Province, two more than previous reports of nine.

One miner managed to escape the flooded pit and was in good health, according to rescuers. Another four were rescued Wednesday. The four miners have been discharged from hospital after medical observation.

The trapped miners still had a chance of survival, according to rescuers.

The privately-run Fusheng Coal Mine has a designed annual capacity of 60,000 tons. The cause of the flooding is being investigated.

China's coal mines suffer frequent flooding, explosions and cave-ins largely due to lax safety management, killing around 6,000 people each year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 14, 2006)