Politics and Society
Tanzania’s five gold miners trapped for 41 days rescued
Five rescued gold miners, trapped underground for 41 days in Tanzania are receiving treatment at a hospital. The miners ‘survived by eating roots, soil, frogs and cockroaches’. 12 others are still missing
In an act described by some as a miracle, five gold miners trapped underground for 41 days have been rescued in Tanzania and 12 others are still missing.
The miners had gone underground to rescue a group of 11 other miners and they “survived by eating roots, soil, frogs and cockroaches and are receiving treatment at hospital,” the BBC reported.
Efforts to rescue the miners by the community members were abandoned last month after a fruitless week-long rescue operation.
However, the rescue operation resumed after faint cries were heard by other miners working near the accident site, which confirmed the miners were still alive.
According to reports, the rescued miners were trapped about 100m underground after a shaft collapsed. After being rescued, one miner, Chacha Wambura reportedly told state-owned television, “We survived by eating cockroaches, frogs and other insects as well as drinking dirty water that seeped in from above”.
Rural mining community in Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo: Karen Hayes / Pact
The case highlights the dangers faced by small scale and artisanal miners who often work is dangerous and unregulated conditions without any health and safety measures in place.
According to reports, “across Africa’s Great Lakes region, nearly 2 million people depend on small-scale, artisanal mining to provide for themselves and their families”.
To improve the working conditions of miners, development organisations such as Pact International have been working, on a training manual to address serious risks at mine sites in Katanga, in the Congo, which “could be the first step toward improving the health and safety of more miners across the region”.
Pact also plans to conduct hands-on trainings and safety lessons with small scale and artisanal miners, “to prevent occupational health and safety dangers in the mines, like cave-ins, tunnel collapses and landslides…educating workers about important measures they can take to protect themselves from injuries, or at worst, death”.
Source: BBC
