News

Recovery operations at Gloria Mine near impossible

Over two months ago, an estimate of 40 cable thieves stormed security and entered a mine shaft at the Gloria Colliery, walking into disaster.

April 1, 2019

Sjani Campher 1 minute read

Having severed the electricity flow to the shaft, the trespassers walked into a thick ether of methane gas and an explosion resulted in over 20 people being trapped underground.
A massive rescue operation was launched after several escapees ran to an ANC councillor and reported the incident.

Two months of intermittent recovery attempts finally led to the retrieval of 18 bodies, one of which, survived.

Also read: BREAKING NEWS: 22 people trapped in Gloria mineshaft

The devastating disaster resulted in 17 recorded fatalities and according to the group of trespassers, nine of their accomplices are still missing.

Continued searches for the remaining nine bodies have turned out to be futile after proto teams failed to find any bodies in the location pointed out by the survivors.

Mr Mike Elliot, informed www.mobserver.co.za that the recovery operations have ground to a halt.

Also read: Gloria Mine – over a month and bodies still remain

After several attempts at locating the remaining bodies, it became clear that the lives of proto team members could not be risked until the damage to the shaft has been repaired. He explained that there is no way of knowing where the remaining bodies are and with the mine being closed, there’s no telling of when construction or repairs will be made.

When the remaining bodies will finally be recovered, stays a mystery.