South Africa successfully rescues all 260 miners trapped underground, all found alive.

WESTONARIA (South Africa), May 24 — Rescuers successfully brought all 260 miners to the surface yesterday after they were trapped underground for more than 24 hours at a South African gold mine, the operator announced.

The miners became trapped on Thursday at the Kloof gold mine, located 60 kilometres west of Johannesburg, after an accident damaged the hoist used to access the shaft, according to mining company Sibanye-Stillwater.

The rescue operation took place in two phases, with the first 79 workers brought up by 1:30 pm (11:30 GMT), and the remainder rescued six hours later, the company said in a statement.

“At no point was there any risk of injury to employees during the incident,” the statement added. The company decided against using emergency escape routes, which would have required the miners to walk long distances underground.

The Kloof mine is one of the deepest operated by Sibanye-Stillwater, which is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

Relatives of the trapped miners waited anxiously outside the site during the rescue, many visibly shocked by the incident, according to local television footage.

“All affected employees will undergo thorough medical examinations if necessary, and support has been extended to their families,” the company said.

The National Union of Mineworkers reported the incident occurred around 10:00 am (08:00 GMT) on Thursday and expressed concern for the miners who had been underground for nearly 20 hours.

Earlier, Sibanye-Stillwater had said the miners were expected to be brought to the surface by midday Friday.

“The employees were not trapped but were kept at the sub-shaft station for safety,” spokesperson Henrika Ninham explained.

Mining remains a major employer in South Africa, the world’s largest platinum exporter and a key supplier of gold, diamonds, coal, and other minerals. However, accidents in the industry remain frequent.

Though mining fatalities have decreased over the past two decades due to improved safety measures, dozens of workers still die each year. Industry group Minerals Council South Africa reported 42 mining deaths in 2024, down from 55 the previous year.

Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman said on Friday that operations would not resume until the company is confident all necessary safety improvements have been implemented. — AFP