Grim Discovery: Bodies Recovered from South African Gold Mine

South African authorities have retrieved at least 60 bodies from the Stilfontein gold mine amid a crackdown on illegal mining. Police have been laying siege to the mine since August, cutting off supplies to force miners out. In total, 106 survivors were arrested for illegal mining.

In a grim development, South African authorities have recovered at least 60 bodies from the Stilfontein gold mine over a span of two days, according to police reports released late Tuesday.

Authorities initiated a siege on the mine in August, terminating food and water supplies for months in an effort to coerce miners to surface, facilitating their arrest as part of a broader illegal mining crackdown. On Monday, the operation to retrieve men and remains from a mine shaft over 2 kilometers underground commenced, using a metal cage.

By 11:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, police had recovered 51 bodies, in addition to the nine found on Monday. Officials also reported the arrest of 106 survivors on charges of illegal mining.

(With inputs from agencies.)