Hopes dim for survival of 7 missing migrant laborers in Tibet avalanche

LHASA, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The survival prospect of the seven missing migrant workers caught in an avalanche Monday is diminishing, a local official in Tibet said on Wednesday.

"So far we have not discovered any bodies of the missing workers, I regret to say that the survival chance of missing workers is very slim," said Gaisang, head of the Bomi county government of eastern Tibet's Nyingchi prefecture.

The seven were part of a 29-member group from the western province of Sichuan who were heading toward Tibet's Medog county through Bomi county on foot as there is no road access. They were about 20 metres from a mountain peak when they got caught in the avalanche.

A total of 14 people were buried initially and seven managed to free themselves. The others remained missing.

Local government has identified the missing as migrants from Suining and Mianyang cities of Sichuan.

A 60-men rescue team was sent to search for the missing workers on Tuesday.

However, the team will need two days to reach the accident scene due to continuous snow and steep terrain. Rescuers also feared that the rescue operation may trigger another avalanche, according to Gaisang.

The Bomi county government has refused entry for people outside the Medog county until the weather improves.