More Than 100 Miners Died of Starvation or Dehydration After Being Trapped in Abandoned Shaft for Months: Reports

• A rescue mission is underway for hundreds of illegal miners believed to be trapped in a disused shaft in South Africa, according to reports

• More than 100 people are believed to have died from starvation or dehydration, the Associated Press claimed

• Over 500 people are still thought to be underground, per the news agency, amid the stand-off with authorities that’s been going on since last year

A rescue mission is underway for hundreds of illegal miners thought to have been trapped for months in an abandoned shaft in South Africa, according to reports.

More than 100 people are believed to have died from starvation or dehydration, with at least 24 bodies and 34 survivors being brought out of the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine in the town of Stilfontein since Friday, Jan. 10, per the Associated Press.

Mzukisi Jam, regional chairperson of the South African National Civics Organization, said, “We are happy that this (rescue) operation is happening, even though we believe that if it was done earlier, we wouldn’t even have one dead person.” This follows confirmation that six bodies and eight survivors had been recovered on Tuesday, Jan. 14, according to the news agency.

Over 500 miners are thought to still be underground, the AP reported.

Related: 3 Believed Dead as Rescue Workers Race to Save 9 Men Trapped in Flooded Coal Mine: Reports

The Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) — which is a National Movement representing and advancing the rights and interests of mine-affected communities across South Africa — claimed that “more than 100 have died” in a Facebook post on Sunday, Jan. 12.

The MACUA took authorities to court in December “to force them to allow food, water and medicine to be sent down to the miners,” according to the AP.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) shared a video on Facebook showing the rescue operations in progress at the mine site.

Per the AP, relatives said some miners had been underground since July.

Zinzi Tom, the sister of a missing miner, said, “The last time I spoke to my brother was in July, when he told us that he is going underground,” per the news agency.

“We had not heard anything from him, but yesterday one of the miners who surfaced said he saw him about two weeks ago. Apparently he is very sick and he is struggling to survive,” Tom added.

According to the BBC, authorities blocked food and water supplies to the miners last year after they reportedly entered the shaft without permission.

The DMRE told the outlet that the recovery included “lowering down a cage” to hoist up “once loaded with people.” The MACUA shared photos of the cage to Facebook on Monday, Jan. 13.

Police have said miners were afraid of being arrested after coming out of the shaft, per the AP. Some have been arrested since November, but the exact number has not been confirmed, the news agency stated.

On Nov. 18, 2024, a message from the country’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on The Presidency Republic of South Africa website stated that “the stand-off at Stilfontein must be resolved peacefully and safely.”

“Illegal mining is a form of criminality that has caused a great deal of anger and anguish in communities,” the post said, adding, “For over a month now, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other Government agencies has been working to resolve a situation of several hundred illegal miners refusing to surface from an abandoned gold mine.”

“The police will carry out their duties and responsibilities to bring the illegal miners to the surface safely. They will do all they can to reduce the risk of harm to the miners and to our law enforcement officials,” the post went on, stating that “more than 1,000 miners have surfaced and been arrested.”

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Per the AP, the mine where the people are trapped is 1.5 miles deep and “has multiple shafts, many levels and is a maze of tunnels.” It would take miners days to “make a dangerous trek to another shaft,” the outlet stated.

MACUA, DMRE and a spokesperson for the country’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE.

PEOPLE also attempted to reach out to the Minister of Police, Edward Senzo Mchunu, via email, but his inbox was unable to accept more messages.

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