Contact with 10 miners has been lost following an underground tremor and methane gas discharge at the Borynia-Zofiowka mine in the south of Poland, coal mining officials have said.

The incident, which occurred 900m underground at 3.40am on Saturday morning, is the second mining accident to take place in the last four days around the town of Jastzebie-Zdroj, near the Czech border.

Prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki tweeted that this was “devastating news again” from the mining region.

He said his thoughts and prayers were with the missing and their relatives.

Five people were killed on Wednesday at the nearby Pniowek mine after repeated methane blasts, with seven missing and dozens injured.

The search for those missing there was suspended on Friday after new blasts injured seven rescuers.

Both mines are operated by the Jastrzebska Spolka Weglowa, or JSW, company.

Emmanuel Macron calls Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki ‘far-right antisemite’ after criticism of his Putin calls

Ukraine war: Not every refugee at the Polish border is ready to find a new home – some already want to go back

Ukraine war: Strapped for cash, exhausted, fearing for their lives – the refugees hoping to reach Britain

A spokesperson said 52 workers were in the area of the tremor at the Borynia-Zofiowka mine and 42 were able to escape to safety via the shaft.

A 12-team rescue operation has been launched to find the remaining 10 miners.

Poland relies on its own coal and coal imports for almost 70% of its energy needs, leading to criticism from the European Union and environmental groups concerned about CO2 emissions and climate change.

Related posts:

Brazil hits highest COVID daily death toll as infections soar and hospitals overwhelmed Christian Eriksen visits team after being discharged from hospital In Brazil, the fact 500,000 have died and the country isn’t in lockdown is too much for some to take ‘Ghost town’ Phuket steps up vaccinations to reopen to tourists Body of armed Belgian anti-vaccine fugitive Jurgen Conings found 35 people killed after houses collapse in India landslides due to monsoon rains More than 400 migrants board deportation flight to Iraq as Belarus border tensions rise Tonga’s internet connection is restored more than five weeks after volcanic eruption and tsunami The high-profile Russians who have fled Putin’s regime, quit their jobs and refuse to support Ukraine war No way out for 150,000 people trapped in Ukrainian city of ‘hell’ – as Russian forces bomb last bridge standing Pregnant women moved from Mariupol hospital were sheltering in bombed theatre Putin’s top military ministers seen speaking in a video for first time in weeks