Death Toll at Illegal Mining Operation in South Africa Hits 51
- More than 100 people extracted since rescue mission began
- Miners have been trapped in disused gold mine for months
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The number of illegal miners who’ve died in a months-long standoff with the South African authorities increased to 51, the security forces said.
The final phase of an operation that began in October is under way to force an unknown number of people out of the disused gold mine in Stilfontein, 156 kilometers (97 miles) southwest of Johannesburg. More than 100 people have been extracted from the site so far, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure said in a statement.