The body of a third victim of a coal mine gas blast in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was recovered on Tuesday, local police have said.

The coal mine owner had taken the body to a hospital in Inner Mongolia's neighboring Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in an attempt to conceal the cause of death.

Police have confirmed that the worker was a victim of the blast.

The blast occurred at 11:30 AM on Dec. 17 in Songshutan Colliery in Alax League. According to the mine owner, only two miners died and four others are missing.

The local police is investigating the accident. The owner of the mine is in police custody.

According to rescuers, the chances of survival are extremely slim for the missing miners.

(Xinhua News Agency December 21, 2006)