Australian town celebrates miners' rescue

Australian miner Todd Russell (L) is comforted by his wife Caroline following the funeral of miner Larry Knight just hours after Russell and fellow miner Brant Webb, who were trapped deep underground for two weeks, were rescued yesterday. The rescue was hailed as "great escape" from the Beaconsfield Gold Mine in the Australian island state of Tasmania. PHOTO: AFP

But the joy quickly turned to grief as mourners gathered to bury a miner who died in the same rock collapse that trapped his co-workers.

"There's not many things in life that take us through so many emotions at the same time," said Graham Mulligan, spokesman for a Christian motorcycle club which escorted Larry Knight's coffin from the church to a nearby cemetery.

"This whole ordeal has taken us from horror to shock, grief, sadness, joy and happiness and then back to sadness again."

Brant Webb, 37, and Todd Russell, 34, punched the air as they walked out of the Beaconsfield Gold Mine before dawn Tuesday, freed by rescue crews drilling round-the-clock. Hundreds of well-wishers gathered at the mine gates erupted in cheers.