Water inundated the Daxing coal mine in the southern province of Guangdong on Sunday afternoon.

So far one body has been retrieved, but little to no hope is held for the remaining missing miners. At the time of the flood, four miners managed to escape.

The mine was operating without a license and despite a government ban on mining in the area following a flood in another mine in the area during July, Dow Jones reported.

Authorities have detained 11 people in connection with the accident, including the owner, manager, board chairman and chief technician.