Anxious relatives watch Zimbabwe mine rescue operation

Rescue workers have been at the scene of a goldmine accident in north-east Zimbabwe for a second day as they try to reach the miners who are believed to be trapped after a shaft collapsed.

The BBC’s Shingai Nyoka, who spent the day at the rescue site in Bindura, about 70km north-east of the capital, Harare, said she witnessed a tragic scene as hundreds of people gathered, including relatives of those who are thought to be underground, waiting for news.

She told BBC Focus on Africa that they were frustrated with the pace of the operation as the equipment to pump water out of the shaft broke down several times.

It is thought that six people have emerged alive, but it is not clear how many are still trapped – Shingai said it could be at least a dozen miners.

Informal mining makes up a large proportion of Zimbabwe’s mining sector and the people who are now stuck underground were working without permits. As a result they would have gone into the mine without proper equipment or safety measures.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

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