At least 31 people, suspected to be illegal miners, died in an abandoned South African gold mine.
The deaths occurred in the ventilation shaft of an abandoned site in the town of Welkom, 260 kilometers from Johannesburg.
The victims are believed to be illegal miners from neighboring Lesotho.
Reports suggest that some bodies have been retrieved, but 28 are still underground.
The cause of the deaths remains unknown, and a search team has not been dispatched due to safety concerns related to high methane levels.
The incident was only announced by the government after being alerted by Lesotho's foreign ministry.
The mine was previously owned by Harmony Gold Mining Company and ceased operations in the 1990s.
unregistered miners known as "Zama zamas,", often work in obsolete mines under challenging and perilous conditions.
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