Rescue Mission Complete At Nugget Gold Mine

Matabeleland South Provincial Administrator Ms. Sithandiwe Ncube has announced that the government yesterday completed the rescue mission at Nugget Gold Mine in Matobo, Matabeleland South province where five people died while four others were injured.

Ncube revealed that the mine was now a death trap and miners should stay away from it. She said:

Nine miners were trapped when the tunnel collapsed resulting in the death of five and four others were injured. One miner was rescued unharmed. Nothing has changed from yesterday (Tuesday). We retrieved five bodies and five miners were rescued alive. Our search mission has been concluded and no one is still underground. Police have cordoned off the area because it has become a death trap.

The Chronicle reports that after a rescue mission that commenced on Monday, rescuers concluded that there were no more bodies underground. The rescue followed the collapse of a tunnel at the mine on Monday. It is alleged that the collapse was caused by a gold rush which attracted nearly 1 000 fortune seekers after news spread that rich gold deposits had been found at the abandoned mine. 

Related:

• Gold Mine Collapses, Kills Four, 12 Remain Trapped Underground
• 5 Bodies Pulled Out Of Nugget Gold Mine

More: The Chronicle