Emergency crews resumed recovery efforts Monday for two men buried under a collapsed gravel pit in Copiah County.James "Dee" Hemphill and Emmit Shorter have been trapped under 10 to 15 feet of mud since Friday, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials said. Water was being pumped out of the pit on Monday, emergency officials said. The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration is overseeing the operation.A crane used Sunday made progress but was unable to recover the two workers and their equipment, authorities said.Family members said their patience was wearing thin but said they are doing their best to hold out hope.Members of a church in Magee were out praying for the men to be found. Family members said support has poured in from all over.Dozens of people showed up at the construction site to watch the recovery effort.Workers at the scene said it was no longer a search-and-rescue effort but a search-and-recovery operation."About 25 men are working at the site. Mine employees have been used to build the road for crane access. A construction crew is conducting the crane operations/setup/hookup. Equipment includes a 230-ton crane, a CAT 336 excavator, an air compressor and haulage trucks," Amy Louviere, with the Mine Safety and Health Administration, said in a statement released Sunday evening. "Crews have been unsuccessful lifting the excavator. The crane will attempt to lift the haulage unit (a CAT articulated truck 730C). This is a lighter unit and closer to the crane. The company has been given the go-ahead to bring in pumps to remove water and waste."22758298

Emergency crews resumed recovery efforts Monday for two men buried under a collapsed gravel pit in Copiah County.

James "Dee" Hemphill and Emmit Shorter have been trapped under 10 to 15 feet of mud since Friday, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials said.

Water was being pumped out of the pit on Monday, emergency officials said. The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration is overseeing the operation.

A crane used Sunday made progress but was unable to recover the two workers and their equipment, authorities said.

Family members said their patience was wearing thin but said they are doing their best to hold out hope.

Members of a church in Magee were out praying for the men to be found. Family members said support has poured in from all over.

Dozens of people showed up at the construction site to watch the recovery effort.

Workers at the scene said it was no longer a search-and-rescue effort but a search-and-recovery operation.

"About 25 men are working at the site. Mine employees have been used to build the road for crane access. A construction crew is conducting the crane operations/setup/hookup. Equipment includes a 230-ton crane, a CAT 336 excavator, an air compressor and haulage trucks," Amy Louviere, with the Mine Safety and Health Administration, said in a statement released Sunday evening. "Crews have been unsuccessful lifting the excavator. The crane will attempt to lift the haulage unit (a CAT articulated truck 730C). This is a lighter unit and closer to the crane. The company has been given the go-ahead to bring in pumps to remove water and waste."