20:29
File image/Reuters
At least 14 artisanal miners died and eight were injured when the walls of a mine in South Africa caved in on them, police said Tuesday.
North West provincial police commissioner Lt Gen Arthur Adams said a search was ongoing and it was not yet clear if there were more victims.
Sniffer dogs and specialised equipment were deployed to search for any others trapped underground.
Police said the cave-in happened Monday night while the miners were operating illicitly near the city of Rustenburg, a hub for platinum mining in South Africa about 130 km (80 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.
Tens of thousands of artisanal miners work illegally in South African gold and platinum mines that are no longer used by mining companies, or dig their own mines to search for deposits. They often operate without proper safety equipment and sometimes stay underground for weeks.
South Africa has the largest platinum reserves in the world. -- PTI
