Sibanye says 289 workers trapped in South African gold mine
FILE PHOTO: A logo of Sibanye Stillwater is seen at a mine in Marikana, outside Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa, March 14, 2024. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo
A drone view of the Sibanye Stillwater mine, where efforts continue to rescue mine workers trapped underground at one of its shafts at the Kloof gold mine, in Westonaria, Johannesburg, South Africa, May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Thando Hlophe
A general view of the Sibanye Stillwater mine, where efforts continue to rescue mine workers trapped underground at one of its shafts at the Kloof gold mine, in Westonaria, Johannesburg, South Africa, May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
A car drives past the Sibanye Stillwater logo, as efforts continue to rescue mine workers trapped underground at one of its shafts at the Kloof gold mine, in Westonaria, Johannesburg, South Africa, May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's Sibanye Stillwater said on Friday that efforts were under way to rescue 289 mine workers trapped underground at one of its shafts at the Kloof gold mine near Johannesburg.
The workers were safe and gathered at an assembly point in the underground gold mine, one of the company's deepest located around 60 km (37 miles) west of Johannesburg, it said.
It did not provide details on the incident, though a Sibanye spokesperson confirmed it had occurred in the mine's Kloof 7 shaft, adding that all the miners were accounted for and the company was providing them with food.
Safety procedures and an examination of the shaft were under way, the spokesperson added, after which the miners would be hoisted to the surface.
"We expect the situation to be resolved by about midday today," the spokesperson said.
Mining accidents are not uncommon in South Africa, which has some of the world's deepest and oldest gold mines.
Earlier this year, at least 78 bodies were pulled from an illegal gold mine after police cut off food and water supplies for months in an attempt to crack down on illegal mining activity.
Johannesburg-based Sibanye is among only a few South African miners squeezing profits from the area's gold deposits. The precious metals producer is mining at depths of about 3,200 meters (2 miles) at the Kloof 7 shaft.
The Kloof mine, which accounts for 14% of Sibanye's total gold output, also operates two other shafts.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) earlier said it had received reports of the incident, which it said happened at around 1000 pm (0800 pm GMT) on Thursday. REUTERS
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