Rescue at Stilfontein could take up to 16 days
Description
It will take R12m and, if all goes according to plan, 16 days to rescue the estimated 550 illegal miners trapped inside the Buffelsfontein gold mine in Stilfontein, says the company heading the job. However, heavy rain is already complicating preparations for the rescue operation involving a huge piece of equipment – believed to be a mobile rescue winch – that will be lowered into the mine ventilation shaft. It is due to be deployed from Johannesburg. The illegal miners are trapped up to 3km into the cavern at a rate of about 0.6m a minute – allowing for bad weather – the team could retrieve about 55 people an hour, according to Mines Rescue Services (MRS) CE Mannas Fourie. Thabiso Tema spoke with Mannas Fourie, Chief Executive Officer, Mines Rescue Services, South Africa .
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