A coal mine boss who tried to cover up the death toll of a mine flooding last year in which 56 miners died has been jailed for 16 years and fined five million yuan by a court in north China's Shanxi Province.

Li Fuyuan, boss of the Xinjing coal mine in Zuoyun County, failed to take effective measures after being informed the mine had been flooded on May 18, ruled the People's Court of Datong.

Li reported a death toll of five to local authorities and rented taxis to transfer family members of the trapped miners to the neighboring Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to prevent them from speaking to the press.

He was also convicted of illegal mining, bribery and falsifying testimony. Another 11 accomplices received prison sentences ranging from 10 months to six years.

(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2007)