Upper Big Branch Mine disaster

On Friday, April 9th, I went to Montcoal, WV to the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster area to photograph the last day of search efforts. Four missing miners still had not been located, and search crews struggled all day to get to the second sealed refuge chamber where miners might be. When I arrived, I photographed the front of the mine entrance, supporters with signs, and a press conference with West Virginia governor Joe Manchin and Kevin Stricklin, an administrator for the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. Later that evening, I attended a candle light vigil for the victims and families still awaiting news of their loved ones. After midnight, it was announced that there were no survivors and 29 miners in total were killed in the explosion on Monday.