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Trapped Gold Miners Found Dead in South Africa

Reuters

   JOHANNESBURG - Four gold miners trapped underground after a tremor
   caused a rockfall in northeast South Africa have been found dead, their
   union said Sunday.

   A fifth miner was rescued with serious injuries on Friday after the
   accident at the Tau Lekoa Mine in the town of Orkney, the National
   Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said.

   "The four mineworkers were found dead," a union statement said after
   the rescue team lost contact with the four men deep underground early
   Saturday.

   "The last person we talked to said: 'We are suffocating please, bring
   us some oxygen'," said NUM president Joseph Montisetse.

   Deadly accidents involving miners are common in South Africa, which has
   the deepest mines in the world.

   Last year 81 people died in the country's mines, according to the
   department of mineral resources.

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