274
At the same time, Ukrinform reports, citing AP, that 246 people were rescued.
It is noted that back in November last year, police tried to force miners out of the mine by blocking food supplies. The court ordered the supply of provisions to be restored, but NGOs said it was insufficient.
Law enforcement officials said they were fulfilling their mandate to “fight crime.” They said they seized gold, explosives, firearms, and more than $2 million in cash from the miners.
The vast majority of miners are foreigners from neighboring Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho who were in South Africa illegally.
Police said the miners were able to escape through another shaft, but some refused to do so because they feared arrest. It is unclear how long they had been underground, but police said some had been there since August.
NGOs said the authorities' failure to begin the rescue earlier led to the miners dying of starvation or dehydration.
At the same time, the Democratic Alliance political party, which belongs to the government coalition, called for an independent investigation into the tragedy.
The mine is said to be 2,5 kilometers deep with many levels and labyrinths. Activists estimated that more than 500 miners were underground when rescue efforts began on Monday.
Photo: screenshot
