Trapped Nicaraguan miners

Precisely how many miners were underground when the entrance to the mine collapsed was unclear, with news agencies quoting local officials who put the figure at between 24 and 28.

The Associated Press quoted the mayor of the nearby town of Bonanza, Alexander Alvarado, who said that teams with sniffer dogs had managed to locate and communicate with 20 of the miners, but had not yet been able to get them out. According to Alvarado, who put the total number of trapped miners at 24, the whereabouts of the remaining four was not clear.

Two other miners, who were buried near the surface, are reported to have been able to dig themselves free.

It also isn't clear how far down the miners are trapped with news agencies citing depths of between 50 meters (165 feet) and 800 meters.

Freelance miners

The mine is operated by the Colombian firm Hemco, but the trapped miners are actually employees of the company. Instead they are freelancers who the firm allows to work in its mines as long as they agree to sell any gold they discover to the company, according to Hemco spokesman Gregorio Downs.

The spokesman also told the Associated Press that the company had warned miners about the danger of working mines in the region, particularly after another landslide caused by heavy rain had killed two men last month.

According to Hemco, the mine, which has been operational for almost 20 years, produces more than 37,000 troy ounces (1,150 kilograms) of gold per year.

pfd/crh (AFP, AP, dpa)