Five miners missing after mudslide at South Africa’s Ekapa diamond mine

Five miners were still missing on Wednesday, more than 24 hours after a mudslide at the Ekapa diamond mine in South Africa, a mining industry body said.

The Minerals Council South Africa said in a statement that it had deployed a senior team to help the company operating the mine, Ekapa Mining, find the missing people.

Ekapa Mining did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

“Finding the five people who are reported missing in the mud rush is the priority,” Minerals Council CEO Mzila Mthenjane said.

South Africa’s government and mining industry have been making efforts to reduce mine deaths and injuries, part of a campaign called “Zero Harm”.

Last year saw the lowest number of deaths to date, 41, surpassing the previous record low of 42 in 2024.

(By Sfundo Parakozov and Wendell Roelf; Editing by Alexander Winning and Joe Bavier)