Rod Anderson, left, and Mike Light work on drilling rig on hillside in Tallmansville, W.Va., Tuesday

The governor of the U.S. state of West Virginia has joined hundreds of people from a coal mining region in hoping for a miraculous rescue of 13 miners trapped underground for more than a day.

Governor Joe Manchin said Tuesday that families are clinging to every hope that the workers will be found alive.

Ben Hatfield, head of the mining company

Ben Hatfield, Chief Executive Officer of mine owner International Coal Group (ICG) Mining Services

International Coal Group, Inc., said emergency workers are drilling two new holes into the mine shaft to test gas levels and look for signs of life. Rescue crews are also moving slowly into the mine, clearing out harmful carbon monoxide as they go.

Earlier today Mr. Hatfield said air-quality tests showed a higher level of carbon monoxide than humans could tolerate. But he added the miners' emergency techniques, such as barricading themselves against the gases, may have kept them safe.

The miners have not been heard from since an explosion at the mine early Monday.