The death count in May 8 explosions at the Raspadskaya coal mine in West Siberia has climbed to 39, the emergencies ministry said.
"Rescuers have discovered seven more bodies of miners. Fifty one people are still missing," a spokesman for the ministry said.
More than 70 people were also injured after two explosions hit the mine, near the town of Mezhdurechensk in the Kemerovo Region, in the space of four hours late on Saturday and early on Sunday.
Russian Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu on Monday said, 311 kilometers (193 miles) of tunnels need to be searched in order to find the missing people, but added hope for their rescue was dimming.
He added that rescuers only had 36-48 hours to find survivors.
He also added that rescuers were unable to move along the main shaft because the elevator and shaft itself were destroyed, but were moving along shafts to the left and right of the main one.
MOSCOW, May 11 (RIA Novosti)
