11 trapped in Redwing shaft collapse
ELEVEN artisanal miners are trapped underground following the collapse of a shaft at Redwing Mine in Penhalonga near Mutare yesterday.
Rescue efforts are being hampered by continued earth movements.
Mines and Mining Development Minister, Zhemu Soda in a statement yesterday said: “Eleven people are suspected to be trapped underground, about 20 metres below surface. The cause of the collapse of the mineshaft is suspected to be an earth tremor whose source is yet to be ascertained.
“The miners are suspected to have entered the mine through different shafts. The rescue team of Metallon Gold at Redwing Mine together with inspectors from our provincial office went underground around 9am attempting to rescue and had to retreat after noticing the ground still caving in. The team tried again around 12 midday and noticed that the ground had collapsed more.”
Minister Soda said Metallon Gold had sufficient capacity to carry out the rescue mission.
More cracks developed on the surface and subsidence was noticed on the surface around the mine.
“The ground is still caving in. It appears like the miners had mined out support pillars. I have established that Metallon Gold Redwing has been tributing mining areas at Redwing even to individuals.
“The shaft that collapsed was under some individuals and the people trapped were workers of the tribute. Management of tributed areas falls under the principal owner,
Metallon Gold, in this case,” said Minister Soda.
Rescue teams from Metallon have been leading the rescue efforts, supported by the Ministry of Mines and other stakeholders including police and the Department of Civil Protection.
The ground at the place is said to be “visibly
cracking and subsiding and therefore is unsafe”, said Minister Soda.
Rescue efforts will resume today. Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza attributed the mishap to earth movements.
Minister Mugadza, who is also Member of Parliament for Mutasa South that covers the area, said all relevant departments were on the ground to establish what happened.
“It is true that there was an earth movement, which led to the collapse of part of the mine tunnel at Redwing Mine.
“About 11 people that were operating underground are reported missing. All the relevant departments are on the ground, and by the end of the day they should compile a full report on what actually transpired and what can be done to rescue those trapped,” he said.
Minister Mugadza said a risk assessment and disaster management plan would be made to avert similar future occurrences.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigations to establish the patterns and root causes of the groundfall-related incident were in progress.
“We are waiting for a full report from the Officer Commanding Police in Manicaland Province on the rescue efforts.”