ZENICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina: One by one, rescue workers pulled 29 miners out of a trouble-plagued coal mine Friday after it had collapsed a day earlier in central Bosnia.
Officials halted rescue efforts, believing that five men who remained deep underground were dead.
Tired, their faces smeared with coal dust, the men came out of the Zenica mine one by one on Friday, after spending the night more than 500 meters (1,600 feet) below the ground.
Anxious family members cried with happiness as they embraced their loved ones. Ambulances were parked outside the mine entrance to take the miners for a medical checkup.
The union leader at the Zenica coal mine, Mehmed Oruc, said two tunnels in the mine collapsed Thursday evening following a gas explosion triggered by a minor earthquake that had hit the area near the town of Zenica.
He said 22 other miners managed to leave the pit after the tunnels collapsed, although two were injured.
Bosnian mine accident: 29 rescued, five miners buried
Bosnian mine accident: 29 rescued, five miners buried
Ex-Philippine leader Duterte to face ICC hearing Feb 23
- ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his “war on drugs”
THE HAGUE: Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte will face a hearing at the International Criminal Court next month, judges ruled on Monday, rejecting arguments the 80-year-old was unfit to take part.
Duterte will face a so-called “confirmation of charges” hearing starting February 23, where judges decide whether the prosecution’s allegations are strong enough to proceed to trial.
“Having regard to the relevant legal principles, the medical assessment of the independent experts... and all of the relevant circumstances of the case, the Chamber was satisfied that Mr.Duterte is able effectively to exercise his procedural rights,” the court said.
Duterte is “therefore fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings,” the ICC added.
ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his “war on drugs.”
The first count concerns his alleged involvement as a co-perpetrator in 19 murders carried out between 2013 and 2016 while Duterte was mayor of Davao City.
The second count relates to 14 murders of so-called “High Value Targets” in 2016 and 2017 when Duterte was president.
And the third charge is about 43 murders committed during “clearance” operations of lower-level alleged drug users or pushers.
These took place across the Philippines between 2016 and 2018, the prosecution alleged.
In October, the court had already rejected a defense plea for early release, arguing he posed a flight risk and could be in a position to influence witnesses if freed.
Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11, flown to the Netherlands that same night and has been held at the ICC’s detention unit at Scheveningen Prison since.
He followed his initial hearing by video link, appearing dazed and frail and barely speaking.
