BEIJING
Rescuers were racing against time Wednesday to rescue two miners trapped in a flooded Chinese coal mine after the recovery of 19 bodies.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that 19 miners were pronounced dead as of 10 a.m. (0300GMT) Wednesday as rescuers entered the shaft of the Jiangjiawan mine in Datong in north China's Shanxi province.
The mine -- owned by Datong Coal Mine Group -- flooded Sunday at around 6.50 p.m. when around 247 people were working inside.
Since then, 223 miners have made it out safely, while rescuers have pulled three people out alive.
Search teams had been working to bring out the 24 workers trapped inside since Sunday.
Xinhua reported that around 6,100 cubic meters of water has been pumped out of the mine as of Tuesday afternoon.
An initial investigation has suggested the flooding occurred when water accumulated in a previously mined-out area.
All small mines under the Datong Coal Mine Group have been ordered to halt operation for safety checks, according to the agency.
