A video showing nine Congolese miners unexpectedly emerging from a collapsed gold mine and hurtling down a steep slope as onlookers cheer in joy has gone viral in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a rare great story.
Mining accidents are commonplace in this Central African country, especially on small artisanal sites such as that in the province of South Kivu.
This mine collapsed on Saturday following heavy rains.
screenshot | Reuters
The video shows a man perched precariously on the side of a steep, sandy slope, frantically digging as a group of other men stand in a large circle around him, watching him.
Suddenly, a miner emerges from the rubble, as if coming out of a tube, and runs down the slope.
Spectators are erupting in joy and surprise, Reuters reports.
We then see the rescuer redouble his efforts to dig the rubble with his bare hands. Another miner then appears, then another, and within two minutes a total of nine men are out safe and sound.
Reuters has verified the video, which has been widely shared on social media.
A lack of safety procedures and proper equipment is behind frequent tunnel collapses in Congolese mines, in which miners are trapped underground with little chance of survival.
