Rescue efforts to retrieve bodies abandoned
Rescue teams have halted efforts to recover the bodies of dead illegal miners who were reported to have been trapped underground.
The Mines Rescue Services (MRS) were called to an area of Pioneer Drive yesterday (September 14).
The department of mineral resources had received word from suspected illegal miners in the area that a group of illegal miners were trapped underground.
Media liaison officer for the minister of mineral resources, Phuti Mabelebele, told the City Times this afternoon that MRS withdrew from the area this afternoon.
The rescue service, along with three illegal miners, went underground last night to try locate the bodies of the victims.
Nothing was found.
MRS resumed their search at 9am this morning, with the help of two illegal miners, and surfaced at 1.30pm.
Mabelebele said the search was cancelled due to dangerous conditions underground – which included rock falls and a lack of oxygen – and the life-threatening risk to MRS workers.
Illegal miners in the area have told of three bodies underground.
The media liaison officer said rescue teams saw one body, but were unable to retrieve it due to the dangerous conditions and a narrow tunnel with a diameter of 30cm.
Mabelebele said the department will resume recovery efforts if illegal miners can provide the teams will a safer, more accessible route to the underground victims.
