Russia names 51 people presumed dead in coal mine accident

By DASHA LITVINOVA
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian authorities have released the names of 51 presumed victims of a devastating methane explosion in a coal mine in Siberia, a toll that makes the accident the deadliest since 2010. The list with names of 46 miners and five rescuers was published online by the government of the Kemerovo region in southwestern Siberia, where the mine is located. Authorities had initially reported 52 fatalities, but search teams found one survivor Friday morning in what officials described as a “miracle.” Regional officials have declared three days of mourning while Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal probe into potential safety violations. The director of the mine and two senior managers were detained.