Nation & World World South African police end mine rescue operation with at least 78 dead and 246 survivors Jan. 15, 2025 at 5:46 am Updated Jan. 15, 2025 at 1:42 pm ...

Illegal miners are escorted by police officers after being rescued from an abandoned gold mine for months, in Stilfontein, South Africa, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) ...

Forensic service workers carry bodies in blue body bags during a rescue operation to rescue miners from below ground in an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.

South Africa has an estimated 6,000 abandoned mines, and authorities said more than 1,500 people had been arrested for illegal mining in the Stilfontein area since last August.

The mine is 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) deep with multiple shafts, many levels and a maze of tunnels. Another civic group had estimated that more than 500 miners were underground when the rescue ...

STILFONTEIN, South Africa (AP) — South African police ended a rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine on Wednesday and said they believe they have brought out all the survivors and retrieved ...

STILFONTEIN, South Africa (AP) — South African police ended a rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine on Wednesday and said they believe they have brought out all the survivors and retrieved ...

STILFONTEIN, South Africa (AP) — South African police ended a rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine on Wednesday and said they believe they have brought out all the survivors and retrieved ...

Authorities have grappled with informal mining for years Illegal mining is common in parts of gold-rich South Africa where companies close down mines that are no longer profitable, leaving groups ...

The mine is 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) deep with multiple shafts, many levels and a maze of tunnels. The group representing the miners said there are numerous groups in various parts of the mine.

Morila, once one of Mali’s flagship gold sites, was abandoned in 2022 by Australia’s Firefinch, which had taken over the site from Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) and AngloGold.