QUETTA — Rescue teams recovered additional bodies on Saturday from a collapsed coal mine in southwest Pakistan, raising the death toll from a methane explosion that trapped dozens of workers underground. The blast struck a pit in Balochistan's Harnai district late Friday.

The explosion initially killed at least 11 miners and trapped 31 others deep inside the shaft, according to Pakistan's Chief Inspectorate of Mines in Balochistan. Provincial mining officials attributed the blast to an accumulation of methane gas, a recurring hazard in the province's poorly regulated collieries.

Rescue operations were hampered by damaged ventilation and the risk of further gas buildup. A spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said teams used manual digging and portable oxygen equipment to reach the deepest galleries, where survivors were feared to be running short of air.

Balochistan's mines, which supply much of Pakistan's coal, have long faced criticism from labour rights groups over lax safety enforcement and inadequate emergency infrastructure. The Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation has repeatedly demanded stricter inspections and better ventilation systems following a series of fatal accidents.

Provincial authorities announced compensation for the families of the dead and pledged an investigation into the cause of the blast. The Balochistan government said it would review safety compliance at privately operated mines across the region.