Lift plunge kills 11 at South Africa platinum mine 

CAPE TOWN — An accident at a platinum mine in South Africa has killed 11 workers and injured 75, the mine's operator says.

Impala Platinum chief executive Nico Muller described it as the "darkest day" in the the company's history.

The company said the accident involved a winding rope connected to a lift which hoists people up and down the mine shaft. The lift started moving downwards unexpectedly, it added.

South Africa has some of the world's deepest mines.

It is a leading producer of platinum, gold and other raw materials.

There has long been concerns about safety conditions on its mines, but the situation has improved since white-minority rule ended in 1994.

About 50 deaths were recorded in mines in 2022, down from 74 in the previous year.

The latest accident took place on Monday at a mine in Rustenburg, about 100km (60 miles) north-west of Johannesburg.

Impala Platinum said an investigation was under way into the exact cause of the accident. All mining operations have been suspended. — BBC