By Chad Lampe
Providence, KY – A search and rescue crew has found the body of the second missing miner after a ceiling collapse in a West Kentucky coal mine.
State officials report Michael Carter and Justin Travis were the only two miners who failed to escape the falling rock and coal Wednesday night. Search and rescue teams began efforts early Thursday morning but had to retreat for a time when the mine's roof became unstable. Search Crews found the first miner this morning followed by the second this afternoon. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear says the state's investigative teams will begin work immediately to determine the cause of the accident and to see if there's any steps the state can take to prevent similar accidents from occurring. U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration Data shows the Dotiki mine ranks seventh in the nation for the number "significant and substantial" violations since January 2009. The mine's owner Alliance Resource Partner's, has collected 216 citations in this year alone.