All illegal miners extracted from abandoned Stilfontein gold mine: South African police
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Synopsis
No illegal miners are left underground after a four-day rescue operation at the Stilfontein gold mine in South Africa's North West Province. Authorities confirmed the retrieval of 246 miners alive and 78 deceased. The operation, part of a broader initiative, aims to combat illegal mining activities in the region.
Key Takeaways
- 246 illegal miners rescued alive.
- 78 bodies recovered from the mine.
- Operation Vala Umgodi launched to fight illegal mining.
- Police will continue monitoring the site.
- 9 additional bodies found before rescue operation.
Johannesburg, Jan 17 (NationPress) No illegal miners remain underground after four days of a rescue operation at the abandoned Stilfontein gold mine in South Africa's North West Province, police confirmed.
National Police Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe reaffirmed that 246 living illegal miners and 78 bodies had been retrieved from the mine since the rescue operation began on Monday. A total of 1,907 illegal miners have emerged since the initiation of Operation Vala Umgodi (Close the Hole) in August last year, she added.
Without providing specifics, Mathe noted that nine additional bodies had been recovered prior to the rescue operation, raising the total number of deceased illegal miners to 87 since August, according to Xinhua news agency.
Speaking to the media in Stilfontein, Acting North West Police Commissioner Patrick Asaneng confirmed that no illegal miners remained at the site. "There are no longer people alive and corpses that are still underground to be extracted," Asaneng stated.
The Mine Rescue Services (MRS), which led the rescue operation, utilized a cage equipped with cameras to reach 2.5 km underground but found no further survivors or bodies. Asaneng mentioned that the MRS would compile a detailed report for law enforcement and the Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources.
"It is based on that report that the government and the relevant ministers will also be addressing your good selves on what has transpired here," Asaneng added.
Both officials noted that the police would persist in monitoring the mine as part of Operation Vala Umgodi.
"In terms of our operations, we are going to continue Operation Vala Umgodi. We will leave at a time when this particular hole is closed and sealed and rehabilitated," Mathe informed reporters.
Earlier, a total of 246 survivors and 78 bodies were retrieved over three days of rescue efforts at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, the police reported.
In a statement issued at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that 246 illegal miners had been brought to the surface alive and subsequently arrested since the rescue operation commenced on Monday at the Stilfontein mine in the North West Province.
