Five miners trapped nearly 900 metres underground at a diamond mine in Kimberley are now presumed dead, according to Gwede Mantashe.
The miners were caught in a mudslide early Tuesday at the Ekapa mine, about 500 kilometres southeast of Johannesburg. After being trapped for three days, the minister said it is unlikely they survived the conditions underground.
Rescue teams are continuing non-stop operations, pumping out water and clearing mud and rock to reach the miners’ last known location. Officials say they now hope to recover the bodies.
Ekapa is described as the world’s largest privately owned diamond mining company.
South Africa remains one of the world’s major mining nations, employing hundreds of thousands of workers. While mining deaths have decreased in recent years, the incident highlights the ongoing dangers faced by workers in the industry.
SOURCE: TRT AFRICA
