More than 150 illegal miners have been rescued from an abandoned mine in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province, with three bodies recovered during the operation.
Most of the miners, reportedly foreign nationals, allege they were forced underground to search for gold.
The rescue concluded Friday night when the final miner emerged.
Police have arrested the miners and are investigating allegations of human trafficking and forced labour linked to these illegal operations.
While the Mpumalanga rescue has concluded, operations are ongoing at another abandoned mine in Stilfontein, near Johannesburg. Authorities plan to deploy more equipment to aid those still trapped.
