An injured miner receives treatment at a local hospital in Shuozhou, Shanxi Province March 20, 2005. [newsphoto]

Relatives of a victim in a coal mine blast in Shuozhou, North China's Shanxi Province weeps March 19, 2005. [newsphoto]

    SHUOZHOU, Shanxi, March 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Sixty-three miners were confirmed dead in the coal mine explosion in northern Shanxi Province as three more bodies were found in the shaft of Xishui Colliery Monday, according to the rescue headquarters at the site.

    Rescuers told Xinhua they have found bodies of all 19 trapped miners in the Kangjiayao Coal Mine. The 44 others were discovered in Xishui Coal Mine. Six people still remain missing.

    Built in 1993, Xishui Coal Mine is licensed to produce 150,000 tons of coal annually. But the mine was ordered to suspend production after safety problems last November, according to the provincial supervision office of coal mine production.

    The other coal mine, Kangjiayao, which also suffered in Saturday's explosion, is a normal mine with governmental approval for production.

    A gas blast occurred at Xishui colliery at 12:15 a.m. Saturday and tore through the neighboring Kangjiayao coal mine, trapping a total of 69 coal miners in the shaft.

    A preliminary investigation has found that the coal mine owners,disregarding the government's supervision, continued with coal production, causing the disaster. Enditem