Authorities have pulled at least 60 bodies from the Stilfontein gold mine over two days, police said late on Tuesday.
Police began laying siege to the mine in August last year and cut off food and water supplies for months in an attempt to force the miners to the surface so they could be arrested as part of a crackdown on illegal mining.
On Monday, authorities began recovering men and bodies from a mine shaft more than 2km underground using a metal cage in an operation that will continue for days.
A police statement said 51 bodies were recovered by 11.30pm on Tuesday, adding to the nine bodies recovered on Monday.
On Tuesday 106 survivors were retrieved and arrested for illegal mining, police said.
Body count from Stilfontein mine siege rises to 60
Image: REUTERS/IHASAAN HAFFEJEE
Authorities have pulled at least 60 bodies from the Stilfontein gold mine over two days, police said late on Tuesday.
Police began laying siege to the mine in August last year and cut off food and water supplies for months in an attempt to force the miners to the surface so they could be arrested as part of a crackdown on illegal mining.
On Monday, authorities began recovering men and bodies from a mine shaft more than 2km underground using a metal cage in an operation that will continue for days.
A police statement said 51 bodies were recovered by 11.30pm on Tuesday, adding to the nine bodies recovered on Monday.
On Tuesday 106 survivors were retrieved and arrested for illegal mining, police said.
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