All seven miners who weretrapped in a coal mine cave-in in northeast China's Liaoning Province on February 18 were rescued and hoisted to the ground early on Tuesday.

They were hurried into the ambulances parking near the entrance of the coal mine and will receive further health checkups at a local hospital, according to an official in charge of the rescue operation.

A cave-in occurred at around 7:45 PM on February 18 in Aiyou Coal Mine affiliated to Fuxin Mining Group Co.Ltd of Liaoning Province,trapping seven miners who were working at the underground passage.

Rescuers dug a separate tunnel to facilitate the rescue operation.

With the help of a newly installed conveyer belt, the rescue workers built a 29-meter-long tunnel connecting to the location where the trapped miners stayed and eventually found the miners around 3:50 AM on Tuesday.

Cause of the accident is under further investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2006)