The three trapped miners in northwest China's Shaanxi Province was still alive and unhurt, said rescuers on Friday.

Rescuers have made a channel to deliver food and drinking water to them, and they were all described as in "good physical condition", said Wang Ruimin, director of the government office of Shenmu county.

Wang had estimated that the miners would be saved on Friday, but due to the complicated geological structure underground, the rescue work was progressing slowly.

A rescuer, who didn't disclose his name, reported to local official Friday afternoon that the miners were hopefully to be saved Saturday afternoon if everything goes on well.

The accident happened at about 1:00 AM at the Shenmu county of Shaanxi, where gas burst occurred at the Yongxing Gaozhuang coal mine. Among the 27 worker in the shaft, 24 managed to escape.

The trapped three are a team leader and two drivers.

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2009)