BEIJING (Reuters) - Three Chinese miners were rescued after being trapped in a coal mine for 25 days, while 12 more remain underground, state media reported on Sunday.

The Xinqiao mine, in southwestern China’s Guizhou province, was flooded on June 17. At least one miner died.

The three miners were in a stable condition when they were lifted from the mine, and could communicate in simple sentences, CCTV said. It did not explain how they had survived.

The mine is licensed to produce 150,000 tonnes of coal a year. It was in violation of safety regulations, Xinhua said.

China’s coal mining industry is the world’s most dangerous, killing about 3,000 people in 2008.