One dead, 29 rescued after Australian gold mine collapse

Emergency services were called to the Mount Clear gold mine near the town of Ballarat on Wednesday evening after reports of "a rockfall" inside a mining tunnel.

One man has died and 29 workers have been rescued after a gold mine collapsed in the Australian state of Victoria, police and union officials said Thursday.

One of the trapped workers was freed and airlifted to hospital in "serious condition", police said.

Emergency services were called to the Mount Clear gold mine near the town of Ballarat on Wednesday evening after reports of "a rockfall" inside a mining tunnel, Victoria Police said.

"Two people were pinned by fallen rocks while 28 workers were able to take refuge in a safety pod," they said in a statement.

One of the trapped workers was freed and airlifted to hospital in "serious condition", police said.

The body of a 37-year-old man was recovered on Thursday morning, they added.

“The 28 miners that took refuge were safely brought to the surface and assessed by Ambulance Victoria.”