A spokesman for the Ukrainian Ministry of Emergency Situations earlier cited different figures, saying that a sudden ejection of a coal and gas mixture, which caused the blast at the Zasyadko coal mine in Donetsk, killed at least nine miners and wounded one. He added that 39 miners were missing.
The channel reported: "Out of 39 miners, who were at the scene of the emergency, 13 are thought to be dead. Out of a total of 400 miners working in the mine at the time of the incident, 207 have been rescued, with 61 hospitalized."
The ministry spokesman said 56 rescue teams were working at the scene to find the missing miners, who were 1,078 meters [3,537 feet] below ground at the moment of the tragedy.
This incident follows another coal mine blast in eastern Ukraine, when at least six miners lost their lives in August.