At least 51 miners have been confirmed dead following a catastrophic explosion at a coal mine in northern Iran.
According to state media on Sunday, 51 people have died in an explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran that was caused by a gas leak.
Following the explosion in South Khorasan province, around twenty more people were hurt.
The mine in Tabas, which is located 540 km (335 miles) southeast of Tehran, is said to have had a methane gas explosion in two of its blocks.
According to official media, the explosion happened on Saturday at 21:00 local time (17:30 GMT).
According to Javad Ghenaatzadeh, the governor of South Khorasan, there were 69 workers inside the blocks when the explosion occurred.
He said: "There was an explosion and unfortunately 69 people were working in the B and C blocks of Madanjoo mine.”
The governor added, "In block C there were 22 people and in block B there were 47 people."
The number of those remaining alive and confined within the mine is yet unknown but official media has now updated its previous death toll of thirty.
