UPDATE (12:42 p.m. Sunday) — Governor Patrick Morrisey is asking all West Virginians to pray for the coal miner who remains unaccounted for after a Nicholas County mine flooded Saturday afternoon.
In a post on X late Sunday morning, Morrisey said teams are continuing to pump water out of the flooded Rolling Thunder Mine in the Drennen/Swift area. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has granted emergency approval to remove as much water as needed.
According to the governor, bore holes have been drilled, and two dive teams are now at the site. Morrisey also said that the state’s Emergency Management Division has delivered communications systems to improve cellular coverage for rescue teams.
DRENNEN, W.Va. (Original) — Mine rescue teams are continuing to search for a coal miner missing inside the flooded Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County.
State police said the mine flooded around 1 p.m. Saturday, and all miners but one were able to make it out safely.
Governor Morrisey provided an update early Sunday morning, saying the flood was caused when an old mine wall was compromised.
“State and company safety personnel are currently on site assessing and responding to the situation,” Morrisey said.
He added that state and federal mine safety officials, the West Virginia Emergency Management Division, DEP, state police, and local first responders are all involved in the response. The state is also coordinating with the National Cave and Rescue Commission for additional assistance.
Morrisey’s early post did not mention the missing miner but noted that “this remains an active situation, and additional information will be released as it becomes available.”
This is the second mine safety incident in West Virginia this week. A 25-year-old miner from Preston County died Thursday in a Tucker County mine.