Jesus.
Rescuers in Utah on Friday suspended their effort to dig a tunnel to search for six trapped coal miners after a major cave-in killed three rescue workers and injured another six.
"We have suspended indefinitely the underground portion of this rescue effort," Richard Stickler, head of the federal government's Mine Safety and Health Administration, said.
He said rescuers would continue to drill bore holes through the top of the mountain to find the miners, who have not been heard from since a collapse on August 6.
One of those killed and one seriously injured in Thursday evening's collapse were federal employees, Stickler said.
"Yesterday we went from a tragedy to a catastrophe," said Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman outside the Crandall Canyon mine as he called for new efforts to make mining safer in his state and the country.
Update: According to government statistics, 72 miners lost their lives in 2007, and 846 have lost their lives in the last 10 years (not including this latest disaster in Utah). What a terribly dangerous trade.