Russian mining accident traps 13 as Kremlin pledges full rescue effort

A rockfall has trapped more than a dozen miners in a mine in the far east of Russia, and the Kremlin on Tuesday said it was making every effort to rescue them. Thirteen miners are believed to be under the rubble of the Pioneer mine in the Amur region, one of Russia's largest gold mines in terms of processing capacity, Russian state-run agencies reported.

"The President gave the order to take all necessary measures to save the miners who are now blocked," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Earlier, Russia's ministry of emergency situations said rescue teams -- including mountain rescuers from a nearby region -- were working on the site, where the rockfall occurred Monday.

It published footage showing a helicopter landing on snowy tarmac and a column of rescuers in orange vests walking.

Accidents at Russian mines and factories are relatively common, with an often lax approach to safety measures.

The large Amur region lies in the far east of Russia, bordering China.