Rescue operations at an illegal underground gold mine near Stilfontein, South Africa, has concluded after authorities confirmed no additional miners remained underground.
Reuters reported that the operation resulted in the recovery of 78 bodies and 246 survivors, many of whom were emaciated and disoriented upon rescue.
The operation, launched earlier this week following a court order, utilised a cylindrical metal cage to extract individuals from deep within the mine.
The survivors, predominantly from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho, now face charges including illegal immigration, trespassing, and illegal mining.
According to reports, the stand-off began in November 2024 when the government directed police to arrest any miners emerging from underground.
Food and water supplies were cut off during the siege, a move which the police defended as necessary to avoid “allowing criminality to thrive.”
Volunteers from the nearby Khuma township played major role in retrieving bodies and aiding survivors.
A final search was conducted using a camera-equipped cage to confirm no one remained in the underground mine. The cage was lifted out empty, and the operation was declared complete.
However, a rescue company CEO Mannas Fourie noted that some bodies might never be recovered due to the mine’s vast and complex tunnel network.
Fourie has been quoted by Reuters as saying: “If somebody got lost, you will never know whether somebody got left behind.”
Illegal mining remains a significant issue in South Africa, costing the economy over $3bn annually, according to the mining minister. Undocumented miners often operate in abandoned mines under the control of criminal syndicates.
The Stilfontein operation has drawn criticism from labour unions and civil society groups, who accused the government of dehumanising the miners, reported Reuters.
While police stated that over 1,500 miners had exited the mine independently during the siege. However, community members are reported to have disputed these claims, alleging that the police removed critical pulley systems that miners relied on for escape.
