All 33 miners trapped in China coal mine found dead

All 33 coal miners trapped underground by a gas explosion earlier this week have been found dead, state media reported on Wednesday, as work safety officials vowed to punish those responsible.

Two miners survived the explosion at the privately owned Jinshangou mine in Chongqing on Monday morning but rescuers working around the clock found no others alive. All the bodies have been recovered and rescuers were shown bowing their heads in memorial for the dead.

Gas explosions inside mines are often caused when a flame or electrical spark ignites gas leaking from the coal seam. Ventilation systems are supposed to prevent gas from becoming trapped.