Dozens Rescued, 15 Bodies Pulled From South Africa Mine

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published January 14, 2025 | 11:51 PM

Over two dozen illegal miners were rescued and at least 15 bodies recovered from an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, as operations continued for a second day Tuesday to reach more people who have been underground for months

Stilfontein, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jan, 2025) Over two dozen illegal miners were rescued and at least 15 bodies recovered from an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, as operations continued for a second day Tuesday to reach more people who have been underground for months.

This brings the death toll to 24 since August, when authorities began driving out clandestine miners at the site near Stilfontein, about 140 kilometres (90 miles) southwest of Johannesburg, police Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili told journalists at the scene.

Some 1,500 people have voluntarily left the shaft, a police spokesperson earlier told local press.

"They are very sick. They are very dehydrated. You can see they are nearly dying," community leader Johannes Qankase told AFP on Tuesday.

A professional mine rescue company on Monday set up a machine called a Rescue Winder to reach the miners through a rough hole in the ground.

Police say hundreds could still be underground but the exact number is unclear.

Thousands of illegal miners, many from other countries, are said to operate in abandoned shafts across South Africa.

The country boasts some of the deepest gold mines in the world, extending kilometres underground, according to the Minerals Council South Africa.

After reaching the surface, many of the miners were taken to hospital while two were believed to be in police custody, Qankase said.

Police spokeswoman Athlenda Mathe told AFP that six bodies were recovered Tuesday, in addition to nine that Qankase said were removed the day before.

Government officials visited the site on Tuesday as the recovery continued.

Authorities have been accused of trying to force the miners to surface by throttling food and water supplies lowered to them by the surrounding community.