A video showing nine Congolese miners 'popping out' of a collapsed gold mine and tumbling down a steep slope has gone viral on social media. The mine collapse took place in Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday and the onlookers cried out in joy as the miners escaped. Mining accidents are common in the Central African country, especially at small, artisanal sites such as the one in South Kivu province that collapsed after heavy rain. A lack of safety procedures and proper equipment are believed to be the reasons behind the accident.
Watch the rescue video:
The video shows men digging through a stream of rubble outside the mine and one by one, each of the trapped miners pop out from the ground.
One of the rescuers is seen precariously perched on the side of a steep slope of rubble, frantically digging with a spade while a group of other men stand in a large circle around him, watching.
As rocks fall from the top part of the mine, the rescuer is seen redoubling his efforts, forsaking the spade to dig through the rubble with his bare hands.
News agency Reuters reported that all nine men came out within two minutes and are well.
"We quickly mobilised people to clear the rubble that was blocking the entrance. It was on the morning of this Saturday... that they managed to save these nine souls," local civil society representative Crispin Kayuka told Reuters.
Two miners died in a similar incident at a nearby informal digging site early this month.
