Mine Collapse in Zimbabwe Leaves 9 Dead and Others Still Trapped
Tragedy has struck in Zimbabwe after a collapse at the Bayhorse Gold Mine trapped workers underground. So far, rescue efforts have recovered the bodies of 9 miners. However, there are still others believed to be trapped within the unstable wreckage.
Sources assisting with the search and rescue operation told NewZimbabwe that 4 bodies had been retrieved from the debris field by late Friday, though 5 more remain blocked from reach. Soft and shifting ground conditions, combined with a large boulder obstructing the tunnel, have impeded rescuers’ ability to safely extricate all of the deceased. Sadly, the death toll is expected to rise further as 4 miners remain missing and unaccounted for.
While the precise number of trapped workers was initially unclear, witnesses placed estimates between 40 to 44 individuals underground when the collapse occurred around 10am on Friday. Later updates indicated 34 people had entered the mine at the time of the accident. By Friday night, 21 miners had fortunately managed to escape or be pulled to safety.
On Saturday, Mines Deputy Minister Polite Kambamura visited the site for a briefing. He confirmed authorities had been told 34 employees were in the mine and commended rescue teams for their tremendous efforts under dangerous conditions. However, the unstable ground continues caving in, complicating the painstaking process of recovering any remaining victims.
Officials from the mines inspection department and police have yet to provide their own accounting of casualties and survivors from this devastating tragedy at the Bayhorse operation in Chakari. The thoughts of all Zimbabwe are with the impacted mining community during this difficult time.
