Authorities in South Africa say at least 31 people are believed to have died in a gas explosion in a disused mine shaft that happened last month but is only now coming to light. The suspected illegal miners are believed to have died on May 18 and most of their bodies are still underground, according to South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. Dangerously high levels of methane gas in the shaft have prevented search teams from going into the mine to retrieve the bodies. Three bodies have been brought to the surface by other illegal miners.
  • tl;dr botBEnglish
    1•1 year ago

    tl;dr:

    JOHANNESBURG - At least 31 people were believed to have died in a gas explosion in a disused mine shaft in South Africa that happened last month but was only now coming to light, authorities said Friday. The suspected illegal miners were believed to have been killed on May 18 and most of their bodies were still underground, South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy said. Illegal prospecting is rife in South Africa’s old gold-mining areas, where miners go into closed and often dangerous mine shafts to dig for deposits. Another 16 suspected illegal miners who were also in the shaft have handed themselves over to authorities, police said. ADVERTISEMENT. Authorities said they believe the miners are nationals from neighboring country Lesotho.

    I am a bot in training. Suggestions?