NICHOLAS COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — The search for a missing Nicholas County miner has come to a sad end.

The body of Steve Lipscomb, 42, of Elkview, W.Va., was found by a two-man search team about 7:30 a.m. Thursday morning, more than five days after workers at the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County struck an unexpected pocket of water that flooded the mine, according to the governor's office.

All but one of the miners in the area were able to evacuate following the incident, prompting a search-and-rescue mission that stretched on for days.

A statement from Gov. Patrick Morrisey's office said water levels had receded to a safe level at about 6 a.m. Thursday morning, allowing crews to enter the mine where they eventually found Lipscomb's body.

Alpha Metallurgical Resources, which owns the mine, said in a news release Thursday morning Lipscomb was last seen attempting to ensure his crew made it out safely.

“Our hearts are broken,” Andy Eidson, the company's chief executive officer, said in a statement. “Steve joined our company in 2006 and was a dedicated employee, respected leader and friend to many. His actions to ensure the safety of his crew members were heroic. On behalf of the entire organization, we extend our prayers and deepest sympathies to his wife, two children and all who knew and cared for him.”

According to a Mine Safety and Health Administration report, Lipscomb was an advanced EMT with a history of helping his fellow miners. In February 2025, he helped treat a miner following an incident at a Raleigh County site.

“This morning’s news is absolutely heartbreaking. Denise and I are devastated to learn of the loss of Mr. Lipscomb, and we are praying for his family, friends, and co-workers during this difficult time," Morrisey said in the statement. "Over the past several days, crews have worked around the clock with courage, skill, and determination, doing everything humanly possible to bring their colleague home. Their commitment and teamwork reflect the very best of West Virginia.

"Our state knows this kind of pain all too well. Mining is more than an industry here — it’s a brotherhood, a way of life, and a source of pride," the governor continued. "When tragedy strikes, we grieve together, we stand together, and we support one another as one West Virginia family.”

Rescue crews ran into issues from the start with low oxygen for dive teams and more than three million gallons of water that needed to be pumped out in order to search the mine.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said earlier in the day Tuesday that crews were able to ramp up the pumping efforts, removing 6,000 gallons of water per minute. More than 3.5 million gallons of water were reportedly in the mine.

Crews were also utilizing surface drilling to create additional access points in the search.

Rescue crews were able to explore the mine Tuesday, but could not find the miner where they thought he was and had to withdraw after encountering more water that was pumped out Wednesday.

Morrisey said crews were working 12-hour shifts for days during the search.

Alpha Metallurgical Resources, which also operates four surface mines in West Virginia, said expressed condolences to the family and said it is cooperating with federal and state authorities on a thorough investigation into the incident and its causes.

WEDNESDAY EVENING UPDATE

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said the main focus continues to be draining water from a mine where a worker has been trapped for more than four days.

Miners struck a pocket of water at the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County on Saturday afternoon and the foreman of an 18-man crew remains unaccounted for.

In addition to the ongoing water draining efforts, crews are also drilling on the surface to make room for a rescue capsule.

“Everyone is working incredibly hard on this rescue mission,” Morrisey said Wednesday. “Those efforts are going to continue.”

Officials estimate about 6,000 gallons per minute are being pumped from the mine, resulting in the water level receding about an inch every hour.

Morrisey confirmed the Department of Environmental Protection is involved to ensure the water is disposed of properly.

"We're working closely with the company and with all the state and federal agencies to do everything imaginable to try and save the miner's life. That's the number one goal," the governor said. "This is a rescue mission and we have to continue to focus on that."

In a social media post Wednesday evening, Morrisey noted an additional unit was brought in to accelerate pumping, but water levels have yet to reach the point where entry is possible.

"Gov. Morrisey continues to receive constant updates and urges all West Virginians to keep the missing miner, his loved ones and every member of the rescue team in their prayers," the post reads.

The hope for survival has prompted a response from community leaders to help family members along with search and rescue teams working around the clock.

TUESDAY EVENING UPDATE

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey visited Nicholas County Tuesday evening where a miner has been missing for more than three days.

"This is still a rescue mission," Morrisey said. "It's focused on trying to retrieve the miner."

The foreman of an 18-man crew was unaccounted for Saturday afternoon after workers struck a pocket of water at the Rolling Thunder Mine.

"The people are working very hard. They're working around the clock trying to do everything possible to rescue the missing miner," Morrisey said. "Right now, a lot of the work is focused on dewatering the area. There are a number of machines that are pulling out water, about 6,000 gallons per minute."

Millions of gallons of water have been removed from the site in hopes that levels would reduce to a point where rescue crews could enter the mine.

"I'm encouraged by all the work that's being done," Morrisey said. "There's no quit in anyone here."

Eyewitness News spoke with mine safety expert Dennis O'Dell, a retired Harrison County miner who spent the last decade of his career as a health and safety administrator for the United Mine Workers of America.

"This inundation of water that you're not expecting, you don't have the pumps that are sufficient enough to remove that water," O'Dell said. "It's just overwhelming with water damage. You see what happened with our 1,000-year flood in West Virginia, what kind of damage happened on the surface. Imagine that same rush of water in an area that's confined and can only go in areas that are already sealed off. You just have to try and deal with it as best you can."

While flooding isn't common in mines, O'Dell compared this search and rescue effort to the 2002 Quecreek Mine Rescue in Pennsylvania. Nine miners were trapped for more than three days before being found alive.

A steady flow of trucks and first responders have entered and exited the site Tuesday, illustrating a continued sense of urgency to find the missing miner.

TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE

Rescue crews are now pumping water at a rate of about 6,000 gallons per minute in the search for a missing miner at a Nicholas County site.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said crews have significantly increased their pumping efforts as additional pumps have become available. The governor said Monday night more than 2 million gallons of water still needed to be pumped out of the Rolling Thunder Mine.

Morrisey said Tuesday morning that the drop in water levels inside the mine has allowed crews to advance on the drilling portion of the rescue as they prepare for additional heavy equipment to arrive.

The miner became unaccounted for after workers struck an unknown pocket of water about 1:30 p.m. Saturday which flooded the mine. All other miners in the area were able to escape.

MONDAY EVENING UPDATE

Search and rescue efforts continue into Monday night as crews look for a missing worker at the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County.

Officials said the foreman of an 18-man crew hasn’t been seen since about 1:30 p.m. Saturday when miners struck a pocket of water. All other workers were able to escape the area.

Murky water and air quality concerns are concerns for dive teams and crews are working to pump water from the mine.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey said his administration is working with the mining company and first responders.

“I’ve personally been in touch with people around West Virginia and across the country in an effort to try and make sure if there’s anything, humanly we can do to save the miner’s life, we want to do it,” Morrisey said Monday. “We want to make sure that we give that miner every opportunity to live. That’s the mode we’re in right now.”

Morrisey said millions of gallons of water have been removed from the mine, which will allow for expanded access. In addition, the governor said surface drilling is creating additional access points that may be used for rescue.

Local, state and federal agencies are working around the clock while nearby communities are offering their support with food and clothing donations for emergency crews.

“The coal community is a tight community. It’s a brotherhood,” Nicholas County Commissioner Gary Roberts told Eyewitness News. “I think the community themselves, most everybody has a brother, an uncle, a sister, an aunt, a mom or somebody that was in the coal industry or worked in the coal mines. You see everybody pull together and they know what that fear feels like.”

Rolling Thunder is one of 11 underground mines owned by Alpha Metallurgical Resources. The company also operates four surface mines in West Virginia.

Eyewitness News has reached out to the company for comment but have not heard back.

MONDAY MORNING UPDATE

West Virginia’s governor said crews are continuing “aggressive” efforts to remove water from a Nicholas County mine in the search for a missing miner.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey said all resources have been made available to rescue crews at the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County after water flooded the mine Saturday and left one miner unaccounted for.

“There’s nothing we would spare to save the life of the miner,” Morrisey said during a news conference Monday.

The governor said there have been concerns with removing water at the same time as dive crews were deployed so efforts right now are being focused on removing the water as quickly as possible.

Officials said a dive team was deployed at least three times over the weekend.

The mine flooded about 1:30 p.m. Saturday after workers struck an unknown pocket of water. All other miners in the area were able to safely evacuate, but one is still unaccounted for.

The identity of the miner is being withheld due to the ongoing search efforts.

SUNDAY EVENING UPDATE

Crews continue to work on a search-and-rescue mission for a miner who is still unaccounted for after the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County flooded on Saturday afternoon.

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection said it has issued necessary emergency approvals to support ongoing efforts to remove water from the mine. These authorizations include pumping and bore-hole drilling.

WVDEP said the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety, and Training and the West Virginia State Police are leading the response. It also said it is closely coordinating with WVOMHST and WVSP to ensure any additional approvals needed can be expedited.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey gave an update on the rescue mission on X just before 7:30 p.m., saying that dive teams have entered the mine twice during the search. He also said that crews are continuing to focus on lowering the water levels and improving air quality to make deeper exploration possible.

"All responding agencies remain fully engaged and in constant coordination, and the safety of all personnel remains the highest priority," Morrisey said in part.

Morrisey said that drilling is ongoing and additional equipment has been mobilized in using every effort to rescue the miner. He said that crews remain committed to rescuing the miner as the operation enters a second night.

Nicholas County Commissioner Garrett Cole later said a third diving exploration is underway to locate the miner, who is said to be the foreman of the 18-man crew and got trapped behind while ensuring the rest of his crew got out safely.

Cole also stated that the air and water is between 50-55 degrees, meaning the miner is less likely to suffer hypothermia but would be focused on getting dry and keeping an air pocket in the mine at all times.

SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE

Search efforts are still ongoing Sunday for a miner who remains unaccounted for following a flooding incident at the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County.

County commissioner Garrett Cole said mine crews struck an unknown pocket of water about 1:30 p.m. Saturday which flooded the mine. All other miners that were working in the area have been accounted for.

Cole said officials believe the missing miner is three-quarters of a mile into the mine, but they’re unsure how much water remains in the mine and how long it may take to pump enough water out to get there. Crews began pumping water about 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

Nicholas County Homeland Security is on standby with underwater drone technology once it is confirmed the remaining water “distance” is within range of the underwater drone’s capability which can help locate the miner and possibly establish communication, Cole said.

A statement from Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s office said the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety, and Training is coordinating with mine safety officials, the West Virginia Emergency Management Division, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the West Virginia State Police, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration and local emergency responders.

National cave rescue workers are also assisting in the effort.

ORIGINAL STORY

Law enforcement in Nicholas County confirm a miner is unaccounted for after an accident Saturday at the Rolling Thunder Mine near Drennen along the Nicholas-Clay County line.

West Virginia State Police said the incident happened around 1 p.m. when flooding was reported inside the mine. All other miners have been safely located and accounted for.

Search and rescue teams remain at the scene working to locate the missing miner. The person's identity wasn't immediately released.

The story will be updated when more details become available.