78 Bodies Pulled From South Africa Gold Mine, With Hundreds More Believed Trapped | rssama.com

Sedang Trending 3 minggu yang lalu

STILFONTEIN, South Africa (AP) — Rescuers and volunteers person pulled astatine slightest 78 dormant miners and much than 160 survivors from an abandoned South African golden mine, wherever they person languished for complete 2 months during a standoff pinch authorities who demanded they surrender to constabulary because they were mining illegally.

Hundreds are still believed to beryllium trapped Wednesday and nan decease toll is expected to emergence successful a disaster that has focused disapproval connected nan South African government’s determination to effort to “smoke them out” by cutting disconnected nutrient and different supplies for a time. Civic groups declare authorities besides removed nan ropes and pulley systems that nan miners utilized to participate and exit astatine slightest 1 shaft and nonstop down supplies.

The groups opportunity nan government’s weekslong refusal to shape a rescue efficaciously near scores of miners to dice of starvation aliases dehydration. A rescue is now underway — aft a tribunal bid — but only a fewer miners tin beryllium pulled up astatine a time, and nan cognition could return 10 days.

Forensic work workers transportation assemblage remains successful bluish assemblage bags during a rescue cognition astatine an abandoned golden excavation successful Stilfontein, South Africa, connected Wednesday.
Forensic work workers transportation assemblage remains successful bluish assemblage bags during a rescue cognition astatine an abandoned golden excavation successful Stilfontein, South Africa, connected Wednesday.

via Associated Press

South African authorities person based on that nan miners were ever capable to exit done different shaft astatine Buffelsfontein Gold Mine, 1 of nan deepest successful nan mineral-rich country.

But activists said that would impact a vulnerable trek underground that could return days for some, and galore became excessively anemic aliases sick aft months underground pinch small nutrient and water. Police contend immoderate miners refused to travel out.

Authorities ordered to motorboat a rescue operation

In consequence to a petition by a comparative of 1 of nan miners, a tribunal past week ordered a rescue operation, which began Monday. A master mining rescue institution has been dropping a mini cage thousands of meters (feet) into nan excavation to retrieve survivors and bodies. But nary unit from nan institution entered nan shaft because they see it excessively vulnerable — alternatively organization volunteers headed down successful nan cage to thief nan miners out.

A miner is transported connected a stretcher by rescue workers aft he was rescued from beneath crushed connected Tuesday.
A miner is transported connected a stretcher by rescue workers aft he was rescued from beneath crushed connected Tuesday.

via Associated Press

Police first tried to unit nan miners out of nan closed excavation adjacent nan municipality of Stilfontein, southwest of Johannesburg, successful November by cutting disconnected their supplies. The move, portion of a larger crackdown connected forbidden mining, began a standoff betwixt authorities and nan miners and members of nan community.

A tribunal ruled that authorities had to let supplies successful — but civic groups reason that officials needed to do much astatine that constituent because moreover without constabulary interference nan miners weren’t capable to get capable nutrient and h2o into nan excavation and nan business was becoming dire.

The excavation is 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) heavy pinch aggregate shafts, galore levels and a maze of tunnels. A group representing nan miners said location are galore groups successful various parts of nan excavation and estimated that much than 500 miners were underground erstwhile nan rescue started.

It’s unclear precisely really agelong they’ve been underground, but relatives opportunity immoderate of them person been location since July.

Families of miners and activistic protestation arsenic South Africa's constabulary curate visited nan excavation connected Tuesday.
Families of miners and activistic protestation arsenic South Africa's constabulary curate visited nan excavation connected Tuesday.

via Associated Press

A rising decease toll

Police said Wednesday that 78 bodies person been recovered truthful far, and 166 survivors brought retired since nan charismatic rescue cognition began. A organization group says different 9 bodies were recovered connected Friday and an unconfirmed number successful nan erstwhile weeks aft members of nan organization attempted to rescue miners themselves.

Civic groups representing nan miners opportunity at slightest 100 person died.

The charismatic rescue is now proceeding slow because only a fewer group tin fresh successful nan cage astatine a clip and because nan shaft is truthful deep.

Authorities person based on that nan miners could person exited if they wanted to — and constabulary opportunity much than 1,000 did earlier nan rescue cognition — but they didn’t because they feared arrest. Police opportunity they person arrested everyone who has surfaced some earlier and aft nan rescue operation.

Miners are escorted by constabulary officers aft being rescued from nan abandoned golden excavation connected Tuesday.
Miners are escorted by constabulary officers aft being rescued from nan abandoned golden excavation connected Tuesday.

via Associated Press

They will look charges of forbidden mining and trespassing. Authorities seized gold, explosives, firearms and much than $2 cardinal successful rate from nan miners.

Video from underground

One of nan civic groups representing nan miners released 2 videos complete nan play showing what it said were nan dire conditions underground. The videos were connected a cellphone carried retired of nan excavation by 1 of nan miners, nan group said, on pinch a statement urging group to watch them.

In them, dozens of what look to beryllium dormant bodies tin beryllium seen lined up successful a darkened cavern and wrapped successful plastic. They besides show shirtless, emaciated-looking miners while nan man filming says they are dying and begs for authorities to nonstop them nutrient and get them out.

‘Smoke them out’ tactics

Authorities are peculiarly nether occurrence for their strategies past year, erstwhile they trim disconnected nutrient and different supplies to nan miners underground for a play of time. It was an effort to “smoke them out,” a South African Cabinet curate said, adding that authorities would not thief nan miners because they were “criminals.”

The miners person languished successful nan excavation for complete 2 months. Police officers and backstage information unit are seen astatine nan mine's opening connected Nov. 15.
The miners person languished successful nan excavation for complete 2 months. Police officers and backstage information unit are seen astatine nan mine's opening connected Nov. 15.

via Associated Press

Rights groups person condemned nan plan, accusing authorities of contributing to a “massacre” astatine nan mine, and members of nan organization person besides gathered astatine nan excavation holding placards criticizing nan authorities.

But while anger is precocious successful nan section community, nan calamity has not stoked a beardown guidance crossed South Africa, wherever forbidden mining is often successful nan news.

The believe is communal astatine mines that companies person closed because they are nary longer profitable, leaving groups of informal miners to participate successful a hunt for leftover deposits. South Africa has an estimated 6,000 abandoned mines.

The South African authorities has taken a hard-line attack to nan groups, who are known arsenic zama zamas — which intends “hustlers” successful nan Zulu connection — and person agelong been a problem for authorities. They are often equipped and portion of criminal syndicates, nan authorities says, and galore are foreigners who entered South Africa illegally from neighboring countries.

The authorities says they are robbing South Africa of much than $1 cardinal a twelvemonth successful gold.

Authorities said that much than 1,500 group person been arrested for mining illegally successful nan Stilfontein area complete nan past year, pinch nan immense mostly of them from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

___

Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa.