6 College Students Drown During Visit to Mine After Grate They Were Standing on Gives Way: Reports
Six college students from China have reportedly drowned during a field visit to a mine in northern China’s Inner Mongolia region.
According to NBC News, Reuters and local outlet China Daily, the students from Northeastern University were visiting the copper molybdenum mine at 10:20 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23, when the tragedy occurred.
The pupils were looking at the flotation process when the grid plate they were standing on suddenly gave way, resulting in them falling into a flotation tank, per NBC News, citing local news agency Xinhua,
According to Reuters and China Daily, a teacher was also injured in the incident.
The mine is reportedly operated by Zhongjin Gold, a subsidiary of the state-owned China National Gold Group.
“Despite rescue efforts, all six students were confirmed drowned after being pulled from the tank. One teacher was also injured,” Zhongjin Gold said in a company filing on Thursday, per NBC News.
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The Nanhu Campus at Northeastern University
According to Reuters, an emergency plan was activated by Zhongjin Gold following the incident.
The students were pronounced dead by medical staff after being rescued from the tank, per China Daily.
PEOPLE has contacted Zhongjin Gold and Northeastern University for comment.
According to NBC News, principal and vice chancellor of Edinburgh-based Heriot-Watt University, Richard Williams, said a person that falls in the tank could pass through thick foam on top “and then find themselves in a mixed slurry or in contact with the mixer blades.”
“These types of accidents are rare. But mine safety remains a global challenge due to the nature of the work,” he added.
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According to Williams, who has a background in mineral engineering, flotation tanks are used to separate different types of small mineral particles, per the outlet.
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