Mine disaster Briton identified

Mr Robertson had been examining a hazard monitoring system

A man from East Yorkshire has been named as one of those killed in a gas explosion in a Russian coal mine.

Ian Robertson, 55, was one of more than 100 people killed in the accident, in Ulyanovskaya, Siberia, on Monday.

Mr Robertson, of Hensall, near Goole, was working for engineering consultancy firm White Young Green International.

He had been in the mine examining a British-made hazard monitoring system when methane gas exploded at a depth of 885ft (270m).

Rescuers described a scene of utter devastation, with collapsed and flooded mineshafts and bodies ripped apart.

'Tragic time'

More than 90 people were rescued from the accident site.

Russian mines suffered from the loss of state subsidies after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

However, the Ulyanovskaya mine was only built a few years ago and had just had a new safety system installed.

Cyril Davies, managing director of White Young Green, said: "The company's thoughts are with Ian' s family at this tragic time, and we have offered them our full support."

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed a Briton had died in the accident, but could not confirm their identity.