An international effort to free the trapped men brought attention to the country’s informal mines, where panning for gold can pay more than minimum wage.

© Association Of Volunteers For Lao People, via Associated Press

A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China killed dozens on Friday, according to Xinhua, a Chinese state news agency. In 2024, China’s National Mine Safety Administration cited the coal mine for “severe safety hazards” and high gas levels. As of Saturday morning, the cause of the explosion was still unknown, according to CCTV, the Chinese state broadcaster.

The Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, called for an investigation and emphasized the need to “hold those responsible to account.”