Efforts underway to rescue 11 missing miners after...

Efforts underway to rescue 11 missing miners after shaft collapse at Redwing Mine

Source of collapse thought to be earth tremor
Support pillars destroyed
Collapses continued after initial one that trapped miners
Tributary mines affected
Metallon Gold responsible for whole area

Nyashadzashe Ndoro

Mines Minister Soda Zhemu has said Metallon Gold has adequate resources to undertake rescue of some 11 miners missing at Redwing Mine after shaft collapse trapped them approximately 20 meters below the surface.

"Metallon as a company has indicated that it has sufficient capacity to carry out the rescue mission,” said Zhemu.

The Minister said rescue team of Metallon Gold at Redwing Mine, together with inspectors from the government's provincial office, went underground around 0900am attempting to rescue and had to retreat after noticing the ground still carving in.

"The team tried again around 1200hrs and noticed that the ground had collapsed more.

"More cracks developed on surface and subsidence was noticed on surface around the mine,” he said.

He added that while the cause of the collapse of the mine shaft is suspected to be an earth tremor whose source is yet to be ascertained, mining operations appeared to have interfered with support pillars, leading to the collapse of the mine.

The minister also said while Metallon had been sub-allocating mining areas to various entities, responsibility for the whole claim lies with the company.

"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, Metalon Gold in this case," he said.

Redwing Mine is owned by Mabvuku-Tafara MP Scott Sakupwanya.

Earlier reports had suggested that 15 miners were feared dead.