South Africa Rescues Illegal Miners Trapped for Months in Abandoned Gold Mine

At least 109 miners are reported dead as rescue efforts continue to retrieve hundreds still underground in dire conditions.

Rescue operations at Stilfontein's abandoned gold mine have retrieved over 60 survivors and at least 109 bodies, with hundreds still trapped underground.
The miners, many of whom are undocumented migrants, were reportedly cut off from food and water by authorities in an effort to drive them out of the mine.
Rights groups and unions have condemned the handling of the crisis, labeling it a 'massacre' and accusing authorities of negligence and cruelty.
Videos from inside the mine reveal emaciated miners and piles of corpses, highlighting the extreme hunger and dehydration faced by those trapped.
The mine, a hub for illegal gold mining, has become a focal point for South Africa's broader struggles with artisanal mining and its economic and humanitarian consequences.