One miner dies, two trapped in Slovenia coal mine accident

(Reuters) - One miner died and rescuers were trying to reach two others trapped after water and mud poured into underground tunnels at the Velenje coal mine in northeastern Slovenia, mine officials said on Tuesday.

The cause of Monday evening's accident has not been established but mining inspectors were at the site, local media reported.

"Eleven employees managed to escape, while three employees remained in the area covered by debris," Premogovnik Velenje mine director, Marko Mavec, told reporters at the site.

Mavec said "hope dies last" as efforts were made to recover two trapped miners but said the situation was not encouraging and the rescue effort was risky.

Production at the Velenje coal mine has been suspended. It is part of the state-owned Holding Slovenske Elektrarne Group, and mainly supplies the Sostanj thermal power plant with coal.

"Production ...will be stopped until the rescue operation is completed, and a special assistance programme will be established for the families of the victims," Prime Minister Robert Golob said during a visit to the mine on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic and Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Ros Russell)

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