Over 200 miners rescued after being trapped for 6 hours in Zambian mine

Over 200 miners were rescued in the early hours of Thursday after they were trapped underground at a mine in Zambia while on duty.

The miners were trapped at Mopani Copper Mines' Mindolo shaft in Kitwe city on the Copperbelt Province on Wednesday night when they were in a shaft that takes them underground when incident happened.

The miners were trapped in the 1,200-meter underground shaft after a power outage, according to various local media.

According to state broadcaster, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, power at the mine went off around 7:00 p.m local time and that attempts to restore the power caused a fire at a substation supplying electricity to the shaft.

Kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe said by 2:52 a.m, about 213 miners had come out of the underground shaft and were all in good condition.

According to the official, emergency response teams from mining companies as well as from the power utility were mobilized to ensure the safety of the miners and added that no miner has died.

Investigations have since been launched and a comprehensive statement will later be issued, he added.

Zambia is currently facing a power deficit caused by low water levels at its reservoirs, a move that has resulted in frequent power cuts.

This is the second accident at the same mine this year. Recently, four miners died after an underground earth collapsed on them. Endit