Body of missing miner found

WINNEMUCCA — The body of a miner trapped underground at a gold mine near Winnemucca was located Saturday, 11 days after he went missing, Newmont Mining Corp. officials said.

Dan Shaw, 30, was working with a blasting crew 200 feet below the Midas mine’s portal on June 19 when the ground gave way beneath the loader he was operating. No one else was injured.

Newmont spokeswoman Mary Korpi said Shaw’s body was seen with the help of night-vision equipment through a hole drilled through the debris.

“We haven’t seen any indication of movement,” she said.

Korpi said crews must remove more rock and dirt, and it was uncertain when they would be able to reach the body. Crews have removed more than 5,000 tons of rock and dirt so far.

“It’s very confined space they’re working in,” she said. “The crews are dedicated to get in and recover him.”

The mine operations remain suspended and an around-the-clock effort relying on specialized equipment continues to reach the body.