Rescue crews recovered the body of a “heroic” West Virginia coal miner who was trapped in a set of flooded mines for four days, officials announced on Thursday.
Steven Lipscomb, a 42-year-old married father of two and retired Marine, was found dead in Rolling Thunder Mine shortly after 7:30 a.m., West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey confirmed in a statement on X.
Alpha Metallurgical Resources, the company that owns the mine that flooded on Saturday, also corroborated reports of Lipscomb’s death in a statement.
“Our hearts are broken. Steve joined our company in 2006 and was a dedicated employee, respected leader and friend to many. His actions to ensure the safety of his crew members were heroic. On behalf of the entire organization, we extend our prayers and deepest sympathies to his wife, two children and all who knew and cared for him,” CEO Andy Eidson said.
Eidson added that Lipscomb was “last seen attempting to ensure his crew made it out” of the mines after the crew hit an unknown pocket of water, which sparked a flood.
Rescuers spared no expense while trying to rescue Lipscomb, including consistently pumping a whopping 6,000 gallons of water out of the flooded mine every minute, which equated to roughly an inch of water each hour, according to Morrisey.
The Nicholas County Homeland Security was also ready with underwater drones, which could be used to locate and communicate with Lipscomb when enough water was drained from the mine.
Lipscomb is believed to have been trapped roughly three-quarters of a mile beneath the mountain.
“Over the past several days, crews have worked around the clock with courage, skill, and determination, doing everything humanly possible to bring their colleague home. Their commitment and teamwork reflect the very best of West Virginia,” Morrisey said at an energy summit on Thursday.
“Our state knows this kind of pain all too well. Mining is more than an industry here — it’s a brotherhood, a way of life, and a source of pride. When tragedy strikes, we grieve together, we stand together, and we support one another as one West Virginia family.”
Lipscomb is the second miner to be killed on the job in West Virginia this month.
Joey Mitchell Jr., a 25-year-old scoop operator, died in an accident at Mount Storm. Another worker was also injured, but state officials didn’t elaborate on the nature of the accident.
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