Chinese rescuers drilled deep into the ground Thursday in an increasingly desperate bid to save 21 miners now trapped for almost two weeks, with one confirmed dead and still no signs of life from over half of the missing workers, state media reported.

Twenty-two workers were entombed hundreds of metres underground at the Hushan mine near Qixia city in east China's Shandong province after a January 10 explosion sealed the entrance and cut off communications.

Contact has been established with one group of miners, although one, seriously injured in the initial explosion, was confirmed dead late Wednesday.

Another is believed to be trapped on his own, one hundred metres further down in rising waters, but his condition is unknown as he has not been directly reached by the rescue teams above.&nbsp;

The second group of 11 miners have also yet to be contacted, despite rescuers' efforts.

"They have also been lowering life detectors and nutrient solutions to other sections to locate the other missing miners but continued to receive no life signs," state news agency Xinhua reported.

Rescuers made contact on Sunday with the first group of 11 miners at a site around 580 metres (1,900 feet) below the surface.&nbsp;

Emergency responders have drilled two "lifeline" channels to deliver food and medicine and installed a telephone line while trying to widen a shaft to eventually allow the miners to be extracted.&nbsp;

The workers said they were trapped by "two underground explosions" in the mine but details are still being confirmed, reported China Daily Thursday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

There are plans for the widest of the shafts, about the size of a manhole cover, to be broadened enough to extract the miners once drilling is finished, CCTV said Wednesday.&nbsp;

The progress of the rescue has been slow because they are drilling through granite, officials have said, while the extraction could be further complicated by the water-logged state of the mine.

Rescue teams initially lost precious time as it took more than a day for the accident to be reported.

Both the local Communist Party secretary and the mayor have been sacked over the 30-hour delay and an official investigation is underway to determine the cause of the explosion.

Mining accidents are common in China, where the industry has a poor safety record and regulations are often weakly enforced.

In December, 23 workers died after being stuck underground in the southwestern city of Chongqing.

Chinese rescuers drilled deep into the ground Thursday in an increasingly desperate bid to save 21 miners now trapped for almost two weeks, with one confirmed dead and still no signs of life from over half of the missing workers, state media reported.

Chinese rescuers drilled deep into the ground Thursday in an increasingly desperate bid to save 21 miners now trapped for almost two weeks, with one confirmed dead and still no signs of life from over half of the missing workers, state media reported. Twenty-two workers were entombed hundreds of metres underground at the Hushan mine near Qixia city in east China's Shandong province after a January 10 explosion sealed the entrance and cut off communications. Contact has been established with one group of miners, although one, seriously injured in the initial explosion, was confirmed dead late Wednesday. Another is believed to be trapped on his own, one hundred metres further down in rising waters, but his condition is unknown as he has not been directly reached by the rescue teams above. The second group of 11 miners have also yet to be contacted, despite rescuers' efforts. "They have also been lowering life detectors and nutrient solutions to other sections to locate the other missing miners but continued to receive no life signs," state news agency Xinhua reported. Rescuers made contact on Sunday with the first group of 11 miners at a site around 580 metres (1,900 feet) below the surface. Emergency responders have drilled two "lifeline" channels to deliver food and medicine and installed a telephone line while trying to widen a shaft to eventually allow the miners to be extracted. The workers said they were trapped by "two underground explosions" in the mine but details are still being confirmed, reported China Daily Thursday. There are plans for the widest of the shafts, about the size of a manhole cover, to be broadened enough to extract the miners once drilling is finished, CCTV said Wednesday. The progress of the rescue has been slow because they are drilling through granite, officials have said, while the extraction could be further complicated by the water-logged state of the mine. Rescue teams initially lost precious time as it took more than a day for the accident to be reported. Both the local Communist Party secretary and the mayor have been sacked over the 30-hour delay and an official investigation is underway to determine the cause of the explosion. Mining accidents are common in China, where the industry has a poor safety record and regulations are often weakly enforced. In December, 23 workers died after being stuck underground in the southwestern city of Chongqing.

China rescuers prepare escape route for trapped gold miners, one confirmed dead

Workers trapped in a Chinese gold mine for more than nine days received more medical and food supplies on Tuesday, including bandages, blankets and porridge, but one of the group is in a critical condition with a severe head injury, state media said.

However,&nbsp;the miners had requested evening sausage and pickles as well as porridge but medical experts decided they should not eat hard food having only just regained their strength.&nbsp;

Fortified by the food and medical supplies - the fourth consignment to reach the group,&nbsp;two workers who had previously been very weak were able to walk again on Tuesday, Xinhua reported, citing a member of the rescue team.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/several-workers-still-trapped-in-chinas-gold-mine-notes-sent-to-rescuers-357409">Several workers still trapped in China's gold mine; notes sent to rescuers</a>

A total of 22 workers were left trapped in the Hushan mine, in Shandong province, after an explosion on January&nbsp;10. A week later, it emerged that at least 12 of them were still alive as a note retrieved from the mine said: "We hope the rescue won't stop."

A drilled channel on Sunday&nbsp;located 11 of the miners, who were working more than 600 metres underground, and rescuers were subsequently able to speak to them via wired telephone.

According to the People's Daily said one worker was in a coma, in a critical condition, after sustaining a head injury in the blast, while two were "mildly unwell" and eight in good health. One more worker has been located in another section of the mine, while the whereabouts of the other 10 remain unknown.

The trapped&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explosion-in-goldmine-traps-22-workers-in-china-356234">miners</a>&nbsp;have been able to send notes to rescuers, the local government said as authorities heard knocking sound.

Chinese officials sacked two top officials in Qixia after the explosion dismissing&nbsp;Qixia&nbsp;Communist Party secretary Yao Xiuxia and deputy secretary Zhu Tao.

Authorities said they would investigate and "severely punish" those responsible for the accident which led to reporting delay denying rescue teams precious time to reach the trapped mine workers last week.

The blast had damaged the exit ladder from the mine even as local officials plan to lower food and telephone lines into the mine.

Workers trapped in a Chinese gold mine for more than nine days received more medical and food supplies on Tuesday, including bandages, blankets and porridge, but one of the group is in a critical condition with a severe head injury, state media said.

Workers trapped in a Chinese gold mine for more than nine days received more medical and food supplies on Tuesday, including bandages, blankets and porridge, but one of the group is in a critical condition with a severe head injury, state media said. However, the miners had requested evening sausage and pickles as well as porridge but medical experts decided they should not eat hard food having only just regained their strength. Fortified by the food and medical supplies - the fourth consignment to reach the group, two workers who had previously been very weak were able to walk again on Tuesday, Xinhua reported, citing a member of the rescue team. Also read: Several workers still trapped in China's gold mine; notes sent to rescuers A total of 22 workers were left trapped in the Hushan mine, in Shandong province, after an explosion on January 10. A week later, it emerged that at least 12 of them were still alive as a note retrieved from the mine said: "We hope the rescue won't stop." A drilled channel on Sunday located 11 of the miners, who were working more than 600 metres underground, and rescuers were subsequently able to speak to them via wired telephone. According to the People's Daily said one worker was in a coma, in a critical condition, after sustaining a head injury in the blast, while two were "mildly unwell" and eight in good health. One more worker has been located in another section of the mine, while the whereabouts of the other 10 remain unknown. The trapped miners have been able to send notes to rescuers, the local government said as authorities heard knocking sound. Chinese officials sacked two top officials in Qixia after the explosion dismissing Qixia Communist Party secretary Yao Xiuxia and deputy secretary Zhu Tao. Authorities said they would investigate and "severely punish" those responsible for the accident which led to reporting delay denying rescue teams precious time to reach the trapped mine workers last week. The blast had damaged the exit ladder from the mine even as local officials plan to lower food and telephone lines into the mine.

Mine workers trapped in China ask for sausage and pickles

Twelve workers trapped underground after an explosion at a gold mine in eastern China a week ago are still alive.

12 Chinese miners trapped by blast last week are still alive