South Africa: 11 die and 75 injured in mine accident
Source: AP Africa news
11 people have been killed and 75 others injured by an elevator that dropped around 200 meters down the shaft in the northern city of Rustenburg in South Africa on Monday evening, November 28, 2023.
The elevator dropped while carrying workers to the surface in a platinum mine.
Impala Platinum Holdings (Implats) CEO Nico Muller mentioned in a statement “it was the darkest day in the history of Implats. Investigation had already been opened to determine what caused the elevator to drop at the end of the workers’ shift. Operations at the mine were all suspended on Tuesday.”
Implats spokesman, Johan Theron noted that “all 86 victims were in the elevator. Some of the injured had serious compact fractures. It was a highly unusual accident.”
The injured workers have been hospitalized.
Statistics show a decrease in fatalities from all mining accidents. In 2022, mining fatalities dropped to 49 from 74 in 2021.
