South Africa: Nearly 1,000 trapped miners rescued

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Nearly 1,000 mineworkers trapped underground at a gold mine in South Africa have been brought to the surface, the company running the mine said Friday.

“Sibanye-Stillwater is pleased to advise that all underground employees at its Beatrix operations in the Free State have safely returned to the surface,” the company said in a statement.

Spokesman James Wellsted said 955 miners were trapped underground following a power outage caused by a storm on Wednesday night.

He said the employees will be offered medical exams and trauma counseling together with their families.

The mine where the incident occurred is located in the town of Welkom, Free State, some 290 kilometers (180) miles from Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city.

Mining safety standards in South Africa, one of the world's largest producers of gold and other precious metals, have been called into question following a number of fatalities at mines across the country.