Zubkov heads for Kemerovo region to inspect rescue opn.

MOSCOW, May 11 (Itar-Tass) - Viktor Zubkov, First Vice-Premier,
travels to Mezhdurechensk, Kemerovo Region, on Tuesday to check on the
spot the search-and-rescue and damage-control operations at the
Raspadskaya coalmine, a Russian government press service official told
journalists.
Zubkov is heading a commission, which was set up on an instruction
from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to deal with matters aimed at rendering
aid to the injured and to the families of those who died in the accident,
and at eliminating the aftermath of the disaster.
An assignment to Zubkov to go to Mezhdurechensk was given by President
Dmitry Medvedev during a video conference on Monday. The First
Vice-Premier will tour the area of the breakdown and chair a meeting of
the governmental commission, the press service official pointed out.
The number of those who died as a result of two methane blasts, which
had occurred on the night from May 8 to 9, mounted up to 32 on Monday.
Among them were 19 mine rescuers who were the first to come to the aid of
those below ground after the first blast. The fate of 58 coalminers who
remain below ground remains unknown, Minister for Emergencies Sergei
Shoigu told the President during the video conference. Shoigu is currently
at the scene of the disaster, exercising direction of the
search-and-rescue operation.