**Nine miners have been rescued from a flooded coal mine in northern China where 153 people have been trapped for a week, Chinese state TV has said.**TV pictures showed the miners being taken in ambulances to hospitals.
Some 3,000 people have been working round the clock to try to pump out the water to reach those trapped.
The mine in Shanxi province flooded after miners broke a wall into an abandoned shaft. The last sign of life was the sound of tapping on Friday.
One by one, the rescued miners were carried out and gently placed into waiting ambulances amid excitement among the reporters and rescuers present.
The miners were said to be in a weak state, and their eyes were covered to prevent damage from the light after spending about a week in darkness.
Thousands of people have been helping to pump water from the mine, which had been under construction. Water levels in the pit had dropped 10 metres (30ft) by Sunday, officials said.
Hopes rose on Friday when rescuers heard what sounded like people banging on pipes from within the mine.
A piece of pipe was sent into another area of the mine and came out with wire coiled around it - something rescuers say could only have been done by someone underground.
Rescuers then sent pens, paper, food and milk down metal pipes into the pit, but nothing new had been heard as of Saturday afternoon, officials said.
Race against time
More than 100 people managed to escape the flood last Sunday at the Wangjialing pit, but the rest were trapped.
Rescuers believe they may be in as many as nine different locations inside the pit.
Earlier this week, a preliminary investigation found that officials had ignored water leaks prior to the accident.
China, which relies heavily on coal to fuel its economy, has some of the most dangerous mines in the world.
Most mining accidents in China are blamed on failures to follow safety rules.
The government has stepped up efforts to improve safety in the mining industry in recent years, by enforcing regulations and taking measures to close unregulated mines.
According to official figures, 2,631 coal miners died in 1,616 mine accidents in China in 2009, down 18% from the previous year.This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.