Death toll from Pakistan coal mine blast climbs to 13

QUETTA, Pakistan – A Pakistani official says rescuers have recovered the bodies of five remaining miners who were missing after a mine caved in following a methane gas explosion this week.

This brings the final death toll from the tragedy to 13.

Iftikhar Ahmed, a mine inspector, said on Tuesday that despite rescue efforts in the mine in the village of Sanjdi, the five could not be saved. Earlier, eight other bodies were recovered.

The mine is located some 50 kilometres, or 30 miles, east of the city of Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan. The explosion happened late Sunday.

Cave-ins and other mining accidents in Pakistan are often attributed to poor enforcement of safety regulations.