China's official Xinhua news agency says the three remaining workers who have been trapped in a flooded coal mine for 10 days are not likely to survive.

On Tuesday, 22 workers were rescued from the illegally operated mine near the northeastern city of Qitaihe.

Xinhua said Friday the three remaining miners have been located and that rescue operations are continuing, but there is little chance they will survive.

The incident happened on August 23 when workers mistakenly drilled into a neighboring mine that was filled with water.

Forty-five workers were in the mine at the time of the flooding, but 19 managed to escape.

China's mines, many of which operate illegally, are among the world's deadliest because of lax security measures.

The mine where the accident took place was ordered shut in 2007, but the owner reopened it without permission on August 16.