ISLAMABAD — Officials reported on Monday that the bodies of 11 coal miners have been recovered following a tragic methane gas explosion that led to a mine collapse in the southwestern region of Pakistan last week.

Ongoing efforts continue to locate a 12th miner who has been unaccounted for since the incident that occurred on Thursday in the city of Singidi, located in Balochistan province, as stated by mines inspector Abdul Ghani.

Tragically, the death toll rose on Sunday when two additional miners died due to another mine collapse in the Harnai district, also in Balochistan, according to local reports.

The coal mining sector in Pakistan has a notorious reputation for neglecting safety regulations, often resulting in catastrophic accidents and explosions that claim the lives of numerous workers each year. Many miners express frustration over mine owners’ failure to provide essential safety equipment and enforce measures to protect workers.

In a separate incident last week, Pakistani security personnel successfully rescued at least eight of the 16 mine workers who had been kidnapped by local insurgents in the volatile northwest region. Efforts to locate and rescue the remaining miners are still in progress.