In a remarkable turn of events, rescuers successfully extracted all 15 subsistence miners trapped in an underground shaft at Redwing Mine in Zimbabwe. The miners, who had been confined underground since Thursday due to a catastrophic collapse, emerged to the surface on Sunday.
Located approximately 270 kilometers east of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, Redwing Mine became a site of intense rescue operations following the incident. The miners were caught in a dire situation after a sudden ground collapse at the mine.
Nick Mangwana, a spokesperson for the government, confirmed the successful rescue. “All miners were rescued alive,” he announced, bringing immense relief to families and onlookers. The rescue mission, however, faced significant challenges due to unstable ground conditions, as reported by Metallon Gold, the mining company owning Redwing.
Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, became a conduit for sharing the news. Video footage released by Mangwana showed the dramatic moment of rescue. The footage captured the miners, drenched in mud, emerging from the depths to be met by a small but jubilant crowd at the mine site, celebrating their safe return.
The incident sheds light on the ongoing informal mining activities at Redwing. Since being placed under corporate rescue in 2020, the mine has seen a surge in unsanctioned mining operations by subsistence miners. This latest incident underscores the precarious conditions under which these miners work and the urgent need for enhanced safety measures in such mining environments.