More than 1,000 miners are trapped underground at Sibanye Gold Ltd.'s Beatrix gold mine in South Africa after a storm knocked out power Jan. 31, preventing the evening shift workers from exiting the mine, Reuters reported Feb. 1, citing company spokesman James Wellsted.
Eye Witness News pegged the number at about 950.
"We've currently got generators there and we are trying to link them up to the hoist in order to bring the people to surface, but we are experiencing some difficulties with the circuit that may be linked to the surge relating to the storm and the power issue," Wellsted was quoted as saying.
Wellsted said the trapped miners are safe and food and water are being provided to them.
