‘Movement’ detected at South African mine where dozens suspected dead, but no search operation yet

By GERALD IMRAY
Associated Press

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African authorities say they have detected “movement” underground at a shuttered gold mine where they believe at least 31 illegal miners died in a suspected gas explosion last month. They say that raises the very slim possibility that there may be survivors. But a search operation has not yet been launched because of the dangerously high levels of methane gas still present in the mine. South Africa’s minister of mineral resources and energy said it’s also likely that there were more illegal miners underground than initially thought and the death count will be higher than 31.