LJUBLJANA, Jan 21, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - At least one miner died and two others are missing after water and silt flooded a coal mine in Slovenia, authorities said Tuesday. 

Rescue teams continued their search after the accident late Monday at the Premogovnik Velenje mine, around 75 kilometres (45 miles) northeast of the capital Ljubljana.

"When the flooding happened there were 14 people working in the mine. Three of them did not leave the mine and were missing" before a first body was recovered overnight, the mine said. 

"The chances for finding them alive are slim," the mine's director Marko Mavec was quoted as saying by the STA news agency.

An investigation into the cause of the accident has been opened but the mine said in its statement that "despite all security measures such events cannot be predicted".

It was the first deadly accident at the Velenje coal mine since 2003, when two miners were killed.

Prime Minister Robert Golob is expected to travel to the mine later Tuesday.