Tragedy as miner dies after he was pinned underground at Ballarat Gold Mine

A miner has died after he was pinned underground during a rockfall at the Ballarat Gold Mine at Mount Clear, near Ballarat.

It follows a desperate rescue mission to retrieve 27 miners who were trapped around 3km inside the mine on Woolshed Gully Drive at 16.50 Wednesday.

Two of the rescued miners were injured, one with life-threatening injuries.

The 21-year-old man was pulled out of the mine around 8:30 p.m. and taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries to his lower body.

He remains at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne in a critical condition.

Victoria Police said rescue teams had traveled 500m underground to reach the trapped miners, about 3km into the Ballarat gold mine.

Acting Inspector Lisa Macdougall said 25 of the miners had reached a safety deposit box on the network where they could be retrieved.

More than 30 emergency workers were deployed to the mine overnight, with more arriving early Thursday morning.

Just before 8 o’clock it was reported that one of the trapped miners had died.

More on the way.