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Trapped South African miners emerge and evade arrest Trapped South African miners arrested after escape
(about 2 hours later)
Six illegal gold miners have emerged from an old South African mine in which dozens more are feared trapped. Ten illegal gold miners have emerged, dusty and thirsty, from an old South African mine in which more are feared trapped.
The men came out when it appeared that the threat of arrest which has deterred others from leaving had abated, said the BBC's Nomsa Maseko on Twitter. Some of the men came out when it seemed the threat of arrest had abated - but all 10 have now been detained, the BBC's Nomsa Maseko tweeted.
One was seen shouting down the shaft: "It is safe to come out, the police are not here," our correspondent reported. The police were hidden behind a fire engine, she said.
The official rescue operation was suspended on Sunday after 11 miners agreed to come out. The miners are reported to have been trapped by a group of rival illegal miners.
Other trapped miners refused to leave after discovering they faced arrest at the surface of the abandoned mine, near Johannesburg. The landscape around the abandoned mine near Johannesburg is dotted with similar abandoned shafts - attracting men from around the region with the promise of remaining gold deposits.
It is unclear how many remain underground, with reports suggesting they could number 200. Some men may also be resisting coming to the surface of the mine because they fear losing any gold they have found, say correspondents.
The 11 freed on Sunday are now facing charges of illegal mining, the South African Press Association quoted police as saying. Previous reports suggested as many as 200 fellow miners remained underground, but our correspondent says the latest estimates put the figure far lower.
An emergency services official said a full rescue operation would not restart unless the miners requested it. It is not clear when this operation will end, as it is not known exactly how many remain underground.
Werner Vermaak of ER24 told the BBC the mine site would be guarded by a private security company, who can could for help if the miners change their mind and prevent unauthorised rescue attempts. Police tactic
However, tweets from our correspondent on Monday suggested the miners were taking advantage of the absence of police at the surface to try to get out. The official rescue operation was suspended on Sunday after 11 miners agreed to come out. All 11 have now been charged.
One of the miners who came out went "back underground to negotiate with the others to come out as there were no cops around", she tweeted. Other trapped miners refused to leave after discovering they faced arrest.
The miners are believed to have been trapped since Saturday morning but there no reports of any injuries, among either the trapped or rescued miners. Earlier on Monday, a man was seen shouting down the shaft: "It is safe to come out, the police are not here," our correspondent tweeted from the scene.
The mine, in an open field near the town of Benoni, is thought to have been an illegal operation. Rescue personnel were seen negotiating with the men and those emerging were not immediately arrested.
But in a later tweet, our correspondent said a police van had been hidden at the scene and she later confirmed all 10 men who resurfaced on Monday had in fact been arrested.
It appears police "'allowed' one miner to walk away - as a tactic to convince others to come out," our correspondent tweeted.
The men are believed to have become trapped because a rival group of miners stole some of their gold haul and then blocked the shaft with rocks to prevent a pursuit.
The miners are believed to have been trapped since Saturday morning in an open field near the town of Benoni.
The men used an old ventilation shaft to access the mine - one of many such holes in the area.
Police heard cries for help when they were patrolling the area on Sunday morning.Police heard cries for help when they were patrolling the area on Sunday morning.
It is not just the threat of arrest deterring the men from coming to the surface, our correspondent says.
The men do not want to relinquish the gold they have found. They are leaving gold underground because they know they will face a harsher jail term if found in possession of illegally mined gold.
Mining is a vital part of the South African economy and the country is the fourth-biggest gold exporter.Mining is a vital part of the South African economy and the country is the fourth-biggest gold exporter.
According to South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources, a 2008 study of the gold sector found that an estimated $509m (£309m) in revenue was lost a year as a result of illegal mining.According to South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources, a 2008 study of the gold sector found that an estimated $509m (£309m) in revenue was lost a year as a result of illegal mining.
South Africa has some of the world's deepest gold mines and safety is a major issue.South Africa has some of the world's deepest gold mines and safety is a major issue.