Boss offers official version of mining disaster events 

Ben Hatfield, head of International Coal Group, owner of Sago coal mine, explains the timeline of how events unfolded:

About 8.30pm (local time) - Family members are told that the body of one miner has been found, but he was not with the others when he died. The whereabouts of the others are unknown.

11.45pm - The Mine Rescue Command Centre (MRCC) receives a report that the other 12 have been found alive. No official statement is made, but family members begin receiving cellphone calls with the news. Church bells ring.

12.18am - The MRCC receives reports that the rescue team and the 12 missing miners are leaving the area where they were found. Company officials are aware that family members and others have received calls about this report.

12.30am - With the mine rescue team receiving fresh air and no longer using breathing apparatus, the MRCC is told there appears to be only one survivor and the other 11 men had no vital signs and appear dead. Officials hope the report is wrong and await confirmation before making a statement.

1.20am - The rescue team, with the confirmed survivor, reaches the surface. The survivor, who has not yet been identified, is taken to a local hospital.

1.38am - Four more rescue teams are sent with emergency medical technicians to confirm that the 11 men are dead or provide medical care. "Company and state officials did not believe that it was prudent to issue a statement ... without concrete information as to the actual status of the 11 miners, or without the identity of the known survivor," Hatfield said.

About 2am - State police are notified about the 11 deaths and asked to notify the clergy at the church where the families are gathered, but information was not "relayed effectively" to the families.

About 2.15am - Survivor Randal McCloy's identity is confirmed as he reaches the hospital.

About 2.30am - The company completes a statement and officials head to the church to tell the families about the deaths. The company then informs reporters.

By 10.26am - All 12 bodies have been retrieved from the mine, after which they are identified and turned over to the Upshur County Medical Examiner.

- REUTERS