South African police have announced the unexpected conclusion of a rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine where numerous illegal miners were trapped. Authorities believe all survivors have been rescued, and the bodies of those who perished have been retrieved.
The announcement, made at a press conference at the mine, came as a surprise. Just a day earlier, the police minister had indicated the operation would likely continue into the following week.
Since the operation commenced on Monday, authorities have recovered 78 bodies and rescued over 240 survivors from the mine.
Police stated that a final sweep of the mine is scheduled for Thursday to confirm that no additional survivors or bodies remain underground.