Rescue teams in South Africa are actively working to retrieve 260 workers stranded in a gold mine after being trapped for an entire day, the Sibanye Stillwater mining company reported on Friday.
According to their initial findings, a malfunction with a sub-shaft rock winder skip door at the Kloof mine, situated west of Johannesburg, resulted in some damage to the mineshaft.
The company relayed that after conducting a thorough risk analysis, they determined that it would be safest for employees to remain stationed at the sub-shaft area rather than attempting a potentially hazardous walk to the surface at this time.
The National Union of Mineworkers, the representative body for the Kloof mine’s workforce, voiced concerns over the situation, stating that the miners have been in the shaft for nearly 24 hours. The union criticized the company for frequently modifying the time projected for their safe return to the surface.
“We are deeply worried as the mine’s management did not publicize this incident until we brought it to the attention of the media,” commented Livhuwani Mammburu, a spokesperson for the union.
Reassuringly, the mining company confirmed that all miners are accounted for and in good condition. They indicated an expectation to safely transport the workers back to the surface by Friday.