Burkina Faso: race against time to save eight miners stuck 700 m deep
The Perkoa zinc mine in central Burkina Faso.
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1 min
Surprised by the waters following heavy rains, eight miners have been missing since April 16 at the Perkoa zinc mine, in the Center-West region.
The families worry because with each passing day the chance of finding them alive diminishes.
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With our correspondent in Ouagadougou,
Yaya Boudani
The rescue operations started on April 21 have not yet found eight minors trapped underground: six Burkinabè, a Zambian and a Tanzanian.
“
The mine officials have promised the arrival of new machines with high pumping capacity.
This could speed up the evacuation of the water
,” says Antoine Bama, the families' representative.
According to the leaders of the crisis committee, quoted by the representative of the families, the rescue team was able to access the first room of refuge, but no one was there.
The second bedroom is currently inaccessible.
“
Shelters can withstand certain living conditions for two weeks.
There is water and oxygen but for food we are not sure
,” said Roland Djebré, general secretary of the union of workers in geology, mines and hydrocarbons.
At least four mining companies are involved in the pumping work.
But the families are beginning to lose hope, given the slowness of the operation.
“
They made an effort, but it's not enough, because it's slow.
They should have asked for international help
,” says Antoine Bama, spokesperson for the families of the missing.
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