Compared to the intensive care the surviving miners received, the rescue teams that eventually brought them to safety have been living in austere conditions.

Xinhua News Agency reported that more than 3,000 rescue workers across the country had rushed to the site of the accident since it occurred on March 28.

Hao's team arrived in Xiangning on Saturday after receiving an emergency call at 2:00 AM. Though several members of his team were on holiday leave, at 6:00 AM they converged in Changzhi, a city in Shanxi, ready to depart for their destination.

Upon their arrival, the 35 men stayed together in two tents, where they slept on camp beds and wore their coats for warmth. The only nourishment they had for two days was instant noodles, Hao said.

"This is a special time. Saving lives is so important," a rescue worker told Xinhua.

Many of them labored underground for more than 14 hours from Sunday to Monday.

Chen Yongsheng, one of the rescue team leaders, told CCTV that he did not feel tired when he was down in the mine. "Every time I saw a survivor, I felt more strength coming on," he said.

Wei Fusheng, another rescue worker, was in tears when he told Xinhua: "It is a miracle."

The All-China Federation of Trade Unions said on Monday that 2 million yuan (US$294,000) would be allocated to assist the surviving miners and to reward the rescue teams.

(China Daily April 6, 2010)