Two Human Lives Saved at Jergalan Coal Mine in Rescue Operation Involving Kumtor’s Rescue Team

published: 27 April 2017

An accident occurred on April 22, 2017, at the coal mine operated by Jergalan-Dorgokomur LLC, Issyk-Kul Province, as a result of unexpected flooding. Two miners were reported to remain blocked underground. According to Gerard Wigglesworth, KGC Maintenance Manager, Kumtor Gold Company’s Management instantly responded to the call for help and considering the special character of the incident formed a rescue team of five, consisting of Beishe Tokoev, dewatering coordinator, Askar Mamyrkanov, Site administration employee, Marat Shabiev, safety engineer, Naizabek Ismanov, electrical foreman and Elnur Gainutdinov, plumber.

In addition, special equipment was selected for the rescue operation, including cables, pipes and powerful pumps, said Kirill Alekseyev, Senior Hydrogeologist at the Kumtor Mine. Having promptly arrived at the Jergalan mine, Kumtor employees immediately set their pumps to work to remove water, an operation that lasted all through the night. As a result of their efforts, the water level in the flooded mine lowered by seven meters, and after the flood-water in the fringedrift subsided the rescue workers saw living men who had found refuge in a free aperture. The two miners who spent almost two days and nights trapped underground were led to the surface. Both are safe and sound.

Participating in the rescue operation were local residents, province and district officials, Issyk-Kul Office of the Ministry for Emergencies and Ak-Suu District Civil Defense officers.