21 February 2024
Delanta District, South Wolo Zone, Ethiopia – After 12 agonizing days, the fate of miners trapped in a collapsed opal mining tunnel in Ethiopia remains uncertain, with rescue efforts using explosives and even tanks being considered.
On January 30th, a cave-in occurred at an opal mine in the “018 Alehat” Kebele Kok Hayaya area, trapping an estimated eight miners.
Local residents and authorities have been digging to reach the miners but stopped after 80 meters due to safety concerns.
The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) engineers were deployed on February 11th to assess the situation.
The cave’s location on a cliff makes using heavy machinery difficult. Attempts to demolish the upper part of the tunnel using explosives on February 12th were unsuccessful.
The proposal to hit the area with a tank has raised concerns about its feasibility and potential dangers.
Despite the challenges, hope persists for the miners’ survival. Association of Precious Minerals Producers Chairman Tesfaye Agaige believes they could have access to water and potentially survive up to 15 days.
The ENDF remains on-site, and authorities are exploring all possible options to save the miners
