289 miners trapped in shaft at South African gold mine

South Africa’s Sibanye Stillwater is working to rescue 289 miners trapped underground at the Kloof 7 shaft, about 60 km west of Johannesburg. The miners are safe, accounted for, and gathered at an underground assembly point. Safety checks and shaft inspections are underway, with plans to bring the workers to the surface by midday. The incident, which occurred late Thursday, highlights ongoing risks in South Africa’s deep gold mines, NBC News has reported. Sibanye operates at depths of around 3,200 meters and the Kloof mine produces 14% of its gold output.