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| Rescue Efforts Underway in South Africa to Save Dozens of Trapped Miners | Rescue Efforts Underway in South Africa to Save Dozens of Trapped Miners |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Emergency crews in South Africa were working on Sunday to rescue scores of miners trapped in an old mine shaft in a city near Johannesburg, emergency services workers said. | |
| More than 200 miners were believed to be trapped beneath several layers of boulders. They became trapped while working there illegally, according to a statement from ER24, a private, national emergency medical services organization in South Africa. Police officers were patrolling the area, near the city of Benoni, about 20 miles east of Johannesburg, when they heard cries for help. | |
| On Sunday evening, ER24 reported on Twitter that 11 miners had been rescued. A medical team was at the scene treating them. | On Sunday evening, ER24 reported on Twitter that 11 miners had been rescued. A medical team was at the scene treating them. |
| Emergency crews had been working for eight hours to rescue the miners and were able to remove a large rock from the opening to the mine, ER24 said. The miners reported that there were about 30 people trapped in the top section of the mine, and 200 others in a lower section, but officials were not able to confirm those figures. | Emergency crews had been working for eight hours to rescue the miners and were able to remove a large rock from the opening to the mine, ER24 said. The miners reported that there were about 30 people trapped in the top section of the mine, and 200 others in a lower section, but officials were not able to confirm those figures. |
| The miners appeared to have been trapped since early Saturday, ER24 said. | The miners appeared to have been trapped since early Saturday, ER24 said. |
| The Department of Minerals said on Sunday that the miners would be arrested after they were checked for injuries. | The Department of Minerals said on Sunday that the miners would be arrested after they were checked for injuries. |
| “The issue of illegal mining remains a serious concern to the department & we continue to work with law enforcement agencies in this regard,” the department said in a post on Twitter. “Illegal mining is a crime, and once all miners receive medical attention, they are arrested.” | “The issue of illegal mining remains a serious concern to the department & we continue to work with law enforcement agencies in this regard,” the department said in a post on Twitter. “Illegal mining is a crime, and once all miners receive medical attention, they are arrested.” |
| One miner was reluctant to leave the mine for fear of being arrested, ER24 said. | One miner was reluctant to leave the mine for fear of being arrested, ER24 said. |
| Throughout the afternoon, ER24 posted photographs of the rescue efforts on Twitter. Rescue workers were able to communicate with the miners and tried to send them bottles of water. | Throughout the afternoon, ER24 posted photographs of the rescue efforts on Twitter. Rescue workers were able to communicate with the miners and tried to send them bottles of water. |