Tourists trapped in Colorado gold mine

Several tourists have been trapped in a Colorado gold mine after an equipment failure, officials say.

At least 10 individuals who are part of a tour group are stuck near the bottom of Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, local media report.

"This was due to an equipment malfunction. The mine did not collapse, " the Teller County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. There are no details.

The now-defunct mine offers hour-long tours by taking visitors 1,000 feet (305m) down the shaft into the south-west side of Pikes Peak, according to the tour company’s website.