Voelklingen, (W. Germany), Feb. 8: The death toll in yesterday’s Luisen-thal mine disaster had soared to 279 this morning, a spokesman for the mine management said here today.

Four men died today at various hospitals near here from injuries sustained in the blast. Two hundred and seventy-five bodies had been pulled out from the debris littered wreckage of the mines galleries, 500 metres below ground, where some 480 men had been hard at work when a violent explosion and fire shattered the mine.

Utter confusion, however, still prevailed as to the exact number of men, who were feared missing as a result of the catastrophe. Mine officials stuck to their claim that only seven men were missing, while other sources claimed the total was close to 70. The confusion apparently originated when a certain number of survivors, who came out of the mine after the explosion either returned home in a state of shock without notifying authorities, or simply joined rescue teams in the hope of saving a relative or a friend.