"The search and rescue operation is continuing to find seven miners whose fate remains unknown," the ministry said in an official statement.
The explosion at the Krasnolimanskaya mine in the Donetsk Region, where 396 miners were working the night shift, occurred early Friday morning. Four miners died, while three injured workers managed to make their own way out and were later hospitalized.
One of the injured is seriously injured and the condition of the other two is described as stable. A government commission is working at the accident scene.
The Krasnolimanskaya mine, which was built in 1958, is known for its poor safety record and is considered high risk for methane explosions. Last December alone, two fires occurred in the mine.
