Missing West Virginia coal miner found dead, governor says

A missing miner trapped in a flooded West Virginia coal mine for nearly a week has been found dead, according to West Virginia’s governor.

“At approximately 6:00 a.m. this morning, water levels inside the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County had dropped enough for rescue crews to safely enter. The team began their search, examining each section as they went underground. At 7:37 a.m., a two-man team located the body of missing miner Foreman Steve Lipscomb,” Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in a statement. statement published in X.

Rescuers had been searching for the missing coal miner, who has been trapped in a flooded West Virginia coal mine since Saturday, as rescuers sought to drill into the mine.

“The big strategic objective right now is to drain as much water as possible, so that mine rescuers can have the opportunity to get in and continue their search,” Governor Morrisey said. he said at a news conference Wednesday. “On the other hand, there is an effort to open a hole to be able to make the drill and finally have a capsule that goes down.”

The mine was being drained at a rate of about an inch per hour, Morrisey said.

“So there’s a lot of water that’s being drained, but there’s also a huge amount that still needs to be drained,” he said.

Morrisey said Monday that dive teams were working to find air pockets where the miner could be located.

“This has been a non-stop response since Saturday and we will continue to do everything imaginable to help,” Morrisey said. “We’re going to keep pushing, because we want to make sure we give the miner every chance to live.”

Nicholas County Commissioner Garrett Cole posted a statement on Facebook Sunday night, saying the missing miner was helping his crew escape to safety.

“According to state reports, the missing miner is said to be a foreman of a team who worked to ensure that all members of his team exited the mine, but were trapped behind.” said.

Rolling Thunder Mine is operated by Tennessee-based Alpha Metallurgical Resources, which operates 19 underground and surface mines in West Virginia and Virginia. according to their website.

A spokesperson for Alpha Metallurgical Resources did not immediately respond to ABC News’ requests for comment.

The weekend incident at the Rolling Thunder Mine is the second mining incident in West Virginia this month, following the death of a miner at another mine on Thursday, according to Morrisey.

“Our coal miners are among the hardest-working and bravest people in our state. They embody the strength, humility and determination that define West Virginia. We owe these men and women a lasting debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they make every day to advance our communities and our nation.” Morrisey posted on Facebook.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.