Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Rescue Robot Fails in Mine Emergency

Mine robot bogged down in mud in West Virginia rescue
Associated Press

TALLMANSVILLE, W.Va. - A robot designed to search mines during emergencies was bogged down by mud Tuesday, and was at least temporarily out of service in efforts to locate 13 miners trapped in West Virginia.

The rescue robot developed for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration was sent into the mine Tuesday morning, but was no longer being used by noon, said Ben Hatfield, chief executive officer of mine owner International Coal Group Inc. of Ashland, Ky.


West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said officials hoped to use the robot again despite those problems.

The rescue robot - 30 inches wide and 50 inches tall - was designed to find possible escape routes and determine whether it's safe for humans to enter.

The The $265,000 robot was unveiled to the public in August at MSHA's district office in Hunker, Pennsylvania.

AP Wire | 01/03/2006 | Mine robot bogged down in mud in West Virginia rescue

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