AUSTRALIAN RESCUERS CONCERNED ABOUT CAUSING ANOTHER CAVE-IN SPENT ALL MONDAY PREPARING FOR THE FINAL 1.5 METRE (4.5 FEET) DIG TO FREE TWO GOLD MINERS TRAPPED A KILOMETRE (HALF-MILE) UNDERGROUND FOR THE PAST 13 DAYS. RESCUERS PLAN TO DIG VERTICALLY UP TO THE TRAPPED MINERS FROM A HORIZONTAL TUNNEL, BUT NEED TO ENSURE THEY DO NOT CAUSE ROCKFALLS ON TOP OF THEMSELVES, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS UNION NATIONAL SECRETARY BILL SHORTEN SAID ON MONDAY. MINERS BRANT WEBB, 37, AND TODD RUSSELL, 34, WERE TRAPPED IN A SMALL WIRE CAGE AFTER A CAVE-IN ON APRIL 25 WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE SENT TONNES OF ROCK CRASHING DOWN. A THIRD MINER WAS KILLED IN THE CAVE-IN AT THE BEACONSFIELD GOLD MINE IN THE SOUTHERN STATE OF TASMANIA. RESCUERS WERE PLANNING TO DEFY "THE LAWS OF GRAVITY" IN THE FINAL DIG TO FREE WEBB AND RUSSELL, SHORTEN TOLD REUTERS AT THE MINE SITE.
