11 Feared Dead In South Africa Mine Elevator Crash

According to the mine managers on Tuesday, an elevator at a massive platinum mine in South Africa that was transporting workers to the surface crashed out of control, killing 11 and wounding 75.

The “devastating accident” at Impala Platinum’s Rustenburg mine, northwest of Johannesburg, occurred on Monday, the company said, while more than 80 workers were closing up shop at a shaft.

As per the business, the lift “unexpectedly started descending” soon before 5:00pm (1500 GMT), which prompted the warning to be raised.

According to a statement, “the conveyance counterweight becoming trapped by the jack catches stopped its rapid descent.”

Safety devices known as “jack catches” are designed to prevent underground trains and elevators from rolling back in the event of an emergency.

 “Our hearts are heavy for the lives lost and the individuals affected by this devastating accident,” Impala Platinum’s (Implats) CEO, Nico Muller, said in a statement.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the loss of our colleagues and are in the process of ensuring all next of kin have been contacted”.

According to the company, 75 employees suffered injuries; they were treated and admitted to nearby hospitals.

A representative for Implats, Johan Theron, told AFP that while some people had serious injuries, the majority had fractures to their legs and ankles, while some had only minor scrapes on them.

It further stated that all 86 of the workers involved in the rescue operations had been accounted for.

“Extremely trying times” According to Implats, all mine operations were halted on Tuesday while the accident was being investigated.

Miller stated, “Implats is providing continuous support to the families and coworkers of those lost in service.”

“We are also thinking of our injured colleagues during this very trying time.” The world’s top producer of platinum is South Africa.

In South Africa, where hundreds of thousands are employed in the mining sector, mine accidents are frequent.

With the deepest mines in the world, South Africa is a significant supplier of raw materials such as coal, diamonds, gold, and other minerals.

There are lifts in many deep mines that can accommodate over 100 people at once.

Though the number has been declining over the past 20 years as safety regulations have been tightened, dozens of mineworkers still lose their lives every year.

AFP