UPDATE: At Least 20 Miners Trapped Underground As Mine Shaft Collapses, 2 Confirmed Dead
The Sunday News has reported that at least 20 miners have been trapped underground after a shaft collapsed at Globe and Phoenix mine in Kwekwe on Wednesday night.
The publication reports that officials at the mine said that they only discovered about the incident on Thursday morning as the 20 miners who were on night shift did not turn up to knock off at around 6 am.
The incident was confirmed by Kwekwe District Development Coordinator who is also Civil Protection Unit Chair, Mr Fortune Mpungu who said:
Yes we received the news about the unfortunate incident a few hours ago and we a running around coordinating a rescue mission.
The Herald reports that the trapped miners were conducting illegal mining activities after official operations were stopped in 2007 following a directive by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
The number of local mines which collapse usually increase during the rainy season.
More: Sunday News
