EON

Seoul (EON) – Over 3,000 gold miners were trapped over a mile underground when a pipe damaged the elevator going down to the South African mine as the rescue is now on.

The company known as Harmony Gold Mining began to rescue workers through a small shaft but reportedly has managed to save every single one of the trapped miners. The Eandsrand Mine is where this tragic event took place according to company officials.

The first 74 men were rescued around 1 a.m. on Thursday and reportedly are all doing just fine. The miners were trapped just over a mile underground when a water pipe fell on an elevator shaft damaging the steel framework and cables which allowed it to function. Some of these miners began their shift on Tuesday and were still working Wednesday night when it took place.

According to Sethiri Thibile who was one of the first miners rescued, “Most of the people are scared and we also have some women miners there underground.”

Harmony’s acting chief executive Graham Briggs stated that “It’s going to take some time because we are doing it carefully. Nobody is injured, nobody is hurt, nothing like that at all.”

All of the over 3,000 miners are expected to be just fine and survive this tragic incident. The smaller cage being used can bring up about 75 miners at a time.