Three Thousand Miners Rescued as Investigation Begins

A massive rescue operation to free 3,200 trapped miners at a South African gold mine is now over after all the workers were bought to the surface.

The miners emerged exhausted from temperatures that ran as high as 40C (104F) after a broken pipe crashed down the main lift shaft, cutting power at the Elandsrand mine west of Johannesburg.

South African-based mine owner Harmony Mining has announced that an extensive investigation will begin today to establish the cause of the incident and to ascertain the extent of the damage to the shaft.

The mine will be closed for at least three weeks in order to complete the investigation and to repair the shaft.

Yesterday, UK-based miners union The National Union of Mineworkers voiced their concerns over safety at the mine, blaming poorly maintained mineshafts and negligence for the incident.

Harmony says the closure of the mine will impact on production although the extent of disruption is yet to be determined.

By Ozge Ibrahim