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Disney pays coal minersbig money for their story

Nine Pennsylvania coal miners who were trapped underground for more than three days and whose rescue enthralled the nation, have sold the television and book rights to their tale to the Walt Disney Co, a Disney representative said Saturday.

The coal miners will be paid US$150,000 each for the story -- a total of US$1.35 million -- which will be the subject of a television movie next year for the ABC network, as well as a book to be published by the company's Hyperion Publishing division.

The nine miners, who survived in an air pocket, splitting a corned beef sandwich and two sodas, were rescued from the Quecreek mine in southwest Pennsylvania on July 28. They became trapped when water from an adjacent abandoned mine burst through the wall of the new mine they were working.

Randy Fogle, one of the miners, said he could not comment on the deal with ABC. But when asked if he was pleased to be the subject of a television movie, he said, "Yeah, we're pretty excited."

The miners decided to negotiate their deal together.
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