Dozens of Bodies Recovered from Abandoned South African Gold Mine

Authorities extract 60 bodies and rescue over 100 survivors from a clandestine mining site where hundreds remain trapped underground.

South African authorities have recovered 60 bodies and rescued 106 survivors from an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, 150 km southwest of Johannesburg.
The operation, which began after a court order, aims to address the plight of 'zama-zamas,' illegal miners trapped underground since November.
Officials estimate hundreds of miners remain underground, but exact numbers are unknown; the rescue effort is expected to last ten days.
The government has faced criticism for limiting food and water supplies to the site for months, allegedly to force miners to surface.
Over 1,500 illegal miners, mostly foreign nationals, have been arrested at the site since August, with some already deported to their home countries.