Bodies of 29 illegal miners pulled from South African shaft

JOHANNESBURG – South African police say the bodies of at least 29 illegal miners have been recovered from a shaft where an underground explosion occurred.

The Times of South Africa reported Wednesday that survivors of last week’s blast say more bodies are still underground. Most of the dead are from neighbouring countries including Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

The mine where the illegal miners were working had been owned by the Harmony Gold company and then closed. It is near the town of Welkom in Free State province.

Illegal mining is common in South Africa, a major producer of gold and platinum. Penalties for illegal mining include fines and prison time.