Rescue efforts are underway at a gold mine in South Africa where about 260 workers became stuck underground for a day. Dozens have been rescued, with 79 miners brought to the surface as of Friday afternoon.
According to Sibanye-Stillwater mining company, an initial investigation revealed that a rock winder skip door malfunctioned, causing damage to the mine shaft at the Kloof mine near Johannesburg. To avoid potential health risks, the company decided to keep workers in one area until it was safe for them to surface.
Despite this, the National Union of Mineworkers is concerned over repeated changes to the estimated rescue time. The union’s spokesperson stated that they only became aware of the incident when they reported it to the media.
Family members of still-stuck miners are also expressing worry and concern. One miner’s wife described her husband as “looking tired but in good health” after being rescued, while anxiously awaiting his return. The company expects all workers to be rescued by later Friday.
Source: https://www.newser.com/story/369167/rescue-continues-for-hundreds-stuck-in-south-african-mine.html