An Austrian miner who had been trapped in a collapsed mine for more than a week was brought to the surface yesterday and was in remarkably good health, officials said.
The miner, 24-year-old Georg Hainzl, who was found alive earlier on Sunday, was pulled up from 60 metres underground through a narrow drill shaft. He was taken to hospital in Graz, 200 kms south-west of Vienna.
"He is very well. It's unbelievable," said a visibly relieved Mr Fritz Stangl, deputy mayor of the mining town of Lassing.
Mr Hainzl was trapped on July 17th after a mudslide filled the magnesium silicate mine in Austria's worst post-war mining disaster. Officials had given up all hope that he and 10 other trapped miners could be alive.
The other 10 miners were buried following a second mudslide after they entered the pit in an attempt to rescue Hainzl.
Mr Stangl said efforts would continue to find the other men but that work would be carried out "very, very carefully".
"We hope there is still the slimmest of chances that they are alive," he said.
All lights were dimmed as Mr Hainzl was pulled out of the mine to avoid damage to his eyes after 10 days in darkness. Mr Hainzl immediately thanked his rescuers once back above ground, before being taken to hospital.
"I'm feeling fine, only my feet are cold," he told a doctor.
The Austrian news agency APA reported that Hainzl had been holed up in a staffroom, some 60 metres down inside the maze of shafts. He lay on a table as the floor was wet.
Austrian President Thomas Klestil said the rescue showed how important it was never to give up hope in the fight for human life.