South Africa's Sibanye Stillwater announced on Friday (May 23) that efforts are underway to rescue 289 mine workers trapped underground at its Kloof gold mine near Johannesburg.
The workers were reported safe and gathered at an assembly point within the mine, located about 60 km (37 miles) west of Johannesburg. While details of the incident were not disclosed, a spokesperson confirmed it occurred in the Kloof 7 shaft and stated that all miners were accounted for and being provided with food.
Safety procedures and examinations of the shaft are currently in progress, after which the miners will be hoisted to the surface. "We expect the situation to be resolved by about midday today," the spokesperson mentioned.
Mining accidents are relatively common in South Africa, known for its deep and historic gold mines. Earlier this year, 78 bodies were recovered from an illegal gold mine after police had restricted food and water supplies to combat illegal mining.
Based in Johannesburg, Sibanye is one of the few South African companies still profiting from the region's gold deposits, mining at depths of approximately 3,200 meters (2 miles) in the Kloof 7 shaft.
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