Forty-three people have been held accountable for a fatal transportation accident that happened at a coal mine in Jixi,Heilongjiang province,in December 2023,according to an investigation report released on Thursday.

The accident occurred at Kunyuan Coal Mine at 2:36 pm on Dec 20,2023,killing 12 people and injuring 13.It led to direct economic loss of more than 27.3 million yuan($3.7 million),said the report.

The investigation team from the Heilongjiang provincial government found that the inclined shaft car accident resulted from the concealment of mining zones,illegal mining operations,unauthorized use of lifting equipment,and workers violating boarding procedures.

Investigators also found evidence of deliberate cover-up for the accident.

The investigation team has proposed punishments for 43 responsible individuals and relevant entities,while the Heilongjiang provincial commission for discipline inspection and commission of supervision has proposed accountability opinions for supervised officials and Party members.

Among them,14 have been taken compulsory measures by judicial and disciplinary authorities,and 29 have been recommended for Party disciplinary actions and administrative punishments.