4 South African miners die after being trapped

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Four miners have been killed at the Sibanye-Stillwater’s Kloof mine, south west of Johannesburg, according to the mining company Tuesday.

The company said the deaths took place when five of its workers entered an abandoned mine shaft and got trapped there on Monday. Initially, three were found dead and two went missing.

Later on Tuesday, the company said rescue workers found another dead body in the morning.

Last month, four other South African miners had died at another gold mine owned by the same company, Sibanye.

James Wellsted, spokesman for mining operator Sibanye-Stillwater, said the deaths had been linked at the time to an earthquake that took place at the mine.

Mining safety standards in South Africa, one of the world's largest producers of gold and other precious metals, have been called into question following a number of fatalities at mines across the country.