Officials in South Africa have confirmed that some 950 gold miners who were stuck underground on Thursday after a power cut have been rescued.
News24 reported that those rescued are now receiving medical treatment with the National Union of Mineworkers confirming the news of their rescue on Friday morning.
The union’s national spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu told News24 that “The mine workers were rescued at around 06:30 this morning.”
“They are currently getting medical check-ups. No injuries were sustained – they are just exhausted” the mines union spokesperson added.
The Sibanye-Stillwater mining company whose concession the workers were working on said a massive power outage had prevented lifts from bringing the night shift to the surface at the Beatrix gold mine, near the central city of Welkom.
God bless our South Africa it is reported that all 900 mine workers have being rescued ….
— Min of Police: Mr Fearfokkol (@MbalulaFikile) February 2, 2018
Sibanye Gold spokesperson James Wellsted told local media “There were some people with dehydration and few cases of high blood pressure and 16 of our older employees needed drips – but everything was successful.
“We are providing counselling for them and their families where it’s necessary,” Wellsted told News24.
The miners would now hold a meeting with management of the company later on Friday. The Beatrix mine is in Free State province, 290 kilometres (180 miles) southwest of Johannesburg.
Source: Africafeeds.com
