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Last miners rescued in SA drama All workers rescued from SA mine
(about 2 hours later)
More than 3,200 exhausted South African gold miners have been rescued from deep underground after they were trapped by a power cable accident.More than 3,200 exhausted South African gold miners have been rescued from deep underground after they were trapped by a power cable accident.
The final group was lifted to safety from Elandsrand mine, 80km (50 miles) from Johannesburg, officials said.The final group was lifted to safety from Elandsrand mine, 80km (50 miles) from Johannesburg, officials said.
The accident had left the miners trapped 2.2km (1.4 miles) underground. Some had been been there for 40 hours. The accident had left the miners trapped 2.2km (1.4 miles) underground. Some had been there for 40 hours.
The miners were brought out through a small shaft which is normally used for mining equipment. The miners were brought out through a small shaft normally used for mining equipment. None were seriously injured.
Only 75 could be hauled clear at a time, adding up no more than 300 in an hour. Only 75 workers could be hauled clear at a time, adding up to no more than 300 in an hour.
'Room for improvement''Room for improvement'
One of the last miners brought to safety, Richman Maneli, told AFP news agency he was happy to be out.
"It has been 30 hours of suffering," he said. "We had no food, no water and we are exhausted."
Each group of miners was greeted with shouts of joy and whistling, the South African Press Association (Sapa) reports. Each group of miners was greeted with shouts of joy and whistling, South African Press Association (Sapa) reported.
Graphic of mine rescueGraphic of mine rescue
Granny Makad told a South African newspaper: "It was terrible. There was not enough air and they tried putting in more and ventilating the areas where we were trapped. Earlier, another rescued miner, Granny Makad, told South Africa's Mail and Guardian newspaper many of the trapped miners were crying and believed they would die underground.
"We were all crying; everyone was so negative and they thought we would die down there," he told the Mail and Guardian. "It was terrible," he said. "There was not enough air and they tried putting in more and ventilating the areas where we were trapped."
ELANDSRAND GOLD MINE Elandsrand mine has 6.9 million ounces of proven reservesLocated 80km (50 miles) west of JohannesburgIt has two vertical shafts - a men/material shaft and a rock/ventilation shaftA new mine, to be finished by 2010, is being built under the existing mine, which is still in useHarmony Gold Mining bought the mine in 2001 In pictures: Mine rescue
The accident at the mine, owned by Harmony Gold Mining, happened at about 1000 (0800 GMT) on Wednesday morning.The accident at the mine, owned by Harmony Gold Mining, happened at about 1000 (0800 GMT) on Wednesday morning.
Harmony chairman Patrice Motsepe said the incident was a "wake up call to all of us".
Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica, who visited the mine, said it would be closed for six weeks to ensure it was safe to continue operations.Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica, who visited the mine, said it would be closed for six weeks to ensure it was safe to continue operations.
Ms Sonjica greeted some of the miners as they emerged and said the government wanted to "tighten up" mine safety laws.Ms Sonjica greeted some of the miners as they emerged and said the government wanted to "tighten up" mine safety laws.
"I wouldn't call it a crisis given that mining is risky in its nature, so incidents of this kind will occur, but I still think there is room for improvement and to reduce accidents in the mines," Ms Sonjica said."I wouldn't call it a crisis given that mining is risky in its nature, so incidents of this kind will occur, but I still think there is room for improvement and to reduce accidents in the mines," Ms Sonjica said.
ELANDSRAND GOLD MINE Elandsrand mine has 6.9 million ounces of proven reservesLocated 80km (50 miles) west of JohannesburgIt has two vertical shafts - a men/material shaft and a rock/ventilation shaftA new mine, to be finished by 2010, is being built under the existing mine, which is still in useHarmony Gold Mining bought the mine in 2001 In pictures: Mine rescue
She also complained that she and President Thabo Mbeki had not been informed of the accident by the company and learned of it from the evening news.She also complained that she and President Thabo Mbeki had not been informed of the accident by the company and learned of it from the evening news.
No serious injuries have been reported, although there were cases of cramp and dehydration. No serious injuries were reported, although there were cases of cramp and dehydration.
"All the miners are okay," National Union of Mineworkers spokesman Lesiba Seshoka told the BBC News website. "All the miners are okay," National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) spokesman Lesiba Seshoka told the BBC News website.
"We have provided them with some food and water. We are told by those coming out that they are looking forward to getting out. They are getting impatient but they are confident they will all come out alive." Maintenance questioned
The miners were trapped in a cramped space where temperatures could reach 30-40C (86-104 Fahrenheit).The miners were trapped in a cramped space where temperatures could reach 30-40C (86-104 Fahrenheit).
Sethiri Thibile, one of the first miners to be rescued, had been underground since 0500 on Wednesday.
"I was hungry, though we were all hungry," he told the Associated Press news agency.
"Most of the people are scared," he said.
A spokeswoman for the mining company, Amelia Soares, said the bottom of the shaft where they were trapped was well ventilated, and that the miners had had access to water.A spokeswoman for the mining company, Amelia Soares, said the bottom of the shaft where they were trapped was well ventilated, and that the miners had had access to water.
Maintenance questioned
Ms Soares said a compressed pipe column fell down the mineshaft, damaging steel work in the shaft and cutting electrical cords connected to the lifts underground.Ms Soares said a compressed pipe column fell down the mineshaft, damaging steel work in the shaft and cutting electrical cords connected to the lifts underground.
The NUM said the mine shafts had not been properly maintained. The NUM blamed Harmony's practice of mining 24 hours a day, which the union said left little time for safety checks.
"Our guys there tell us that they have raised concerns about the whole issue of maintenance of shafts with the mine, but they have not been attended to," Lesiba Seshoka told the Associated Press news agency."Our guys there tell us that they have raised concerns about the whole issue of maintenance of shafts with the mine, but they have not been attended to," Lesiba Seshoka told the Associated Press news agency.
He said South Africa's mines had a poor safety record, with about 200 workers said to have been killed in accidents in each of the last two years. The Elandsrand mine is in the Witwatersrand Basin, which holds the world's largest gold deposit. name="graphic">
The Elandsrand mine is in the Witwatersrand Basin, which holds the world's largest gold deposit. name="graphic"> Gold is important to South Africa's economy, says the BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg, although the industry has been in decline in recent years. Gold is important to South Africa's economy, says the BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg, although the industry has been in decline in recent years.
ELANDSRAND MINE ACCIDENT 1 45m chunk of piping breaks away near mine surface2 It damages steelwork and severs electrical cables as it falls down the 2.2km shaft3 Miners move from bottom of Men and Material shaft to adjacent Rock and Ventilation shaft4 Other miners working at about 2.6km join stranded colleagues5 They are raised to the surface via a hand-winding system Return to storyELANDSRAND MINE ACCIDENT 1 45m chunk of piping breaks away near mine surface2 It damages steelwork and severs electrical cables as it falls down the 2.2km shaft3 Miners move from bottom of Men and Material shaft to adjacent Rock and Ventilation shaft4 Other miners working at about 2.6km join stranded colleagues5 They are raised to the surface via a hand-winding system Return to story