Trapped Australian miners receive food, water

SYDNEY, May 1 (Reuters) Two Australian miners trapped a kilometre underground for six days were passed food and water through a narrow tube today as rescuers drilled through tonnes of fallen rock to reach them.

The men, trapped in a gold mine in the southern island state of Tasmania, were found yesterday huddled in a small metal cage.

They had survived on mineral-laced water run-off since an earth tremor six days ago caused a rockfall inside the mine.

Rescuers had worked since yesterday drilling a 100-mm (4-inch) hole through fallen rock to reach the men and were able to insert a small plastic tube, through which biscuits, energy drinks and tablets were passed.

''The rescue has reached a very delicate stage,'' mine manager Matthew Gill told reporters. ''We have established permanent contact with the two men and they have received some food and fresh water and they do remain in good spirits.'' Church bells pealed around Beaconsfield yesterday after the news that the men had unexpectedly been found alive after rescuers found a third miner dead on Thursday.

''We must all hope the two men are safely brought to the surface,'' Prime Minister John Howard today said.

Australian Workers' Union national secretary Bill Shorten said the rescue operation at the Beaconsfield Gold Mine, about 150 km north of Hobart would be a slow and delicate process that could take about 48 hours.

''It's going to take a long time. You have to replenish them physically in order that they are able to cope with the next stage of the work,'' he told reporters.

Local mayor Barry Eastford said the funeral for the dead miner had been delayed until the two surviving miners, identified as Brant Webb, 37, and Todd Russell, 34, were rescued.

Geoscience Australia said preliminary data showed the tremor, which caused the rockfall inside the mine on Tuesday evening, had a magnitude of 2.1. There was some speculation that it might have been caused by mine blasting.

REUTERS SB PC1620