UNSTABLE ground at Redwing Mine in Penhalonga, Manicaland province, has reportedly stalled efforts to rescue nearly a dozen artisanal miners trapped underground on Thursday, NewsDay has learnt.
In a statement, Metallon Corporation, the original owners of the gold mine, said rescue teams were failing to reach out to the trapped miners due to shaky ground around the collapsed shaft.
The mining company said 11 miners were trapped, refuting earlier reports that placed the figure at 15.
“The team has made several rescue attempts. However, the ground remains unstable, rendering rescue operations unsafe.
“Our teams are diligently assessing ground conditions to make sure that rescue operations proceed safely as soon as possible.”
The gold miner said the disaster could have been a result of earth tremors.
The affected section of the mine was annexed by Mabvuku-Tafara MP Pedzisayi Scott Sakupwanya's Better Brands Mining Company in 2019 after some workers and creditors filed a joint application for corporate rescue after it had run into liquidity challenges.
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The mine was later placed under corporate rescue but won an appeal through the Supreme Court, but Sakupwanya went on to unleash thousands of youths to conduct artisanal mining activities at the mine without due regard to safety regulations.
Over 100 artisanal miners have died in the shafts since the mine seizure by Sakupwanya's company.
