JOHANNESBURG (miningwekly.com) – Diamond miner De Beers has mounted a rescue bid for at least seven illegal diamond diggers who are trapped in illegally excavated tunnels at De Beers Namaqua diamond mines in the Northern Cape.

De Beers and Namaqualand Mines said that the illegal diggers were working in the Bontekoe area on the northern boundary of Namaqualand Mines and State-owned land.

De Beers is in the process of transferring the operation to JSE-listed Transhex.

Mine management confirm that one person has been rescued and taken to hospital, and six or more people are being sought.

The rescue team is still excavating the collapsed tunnels to investigate whether more people are trapped.

The South African Police Services Disaster Recovery Unit from Kimberley has taken charge of the site and officials from the Department of Mineral Resources have visited the scene of the collapse.

People are reportedly destroying fences, ignoring signage, evading arrest, transporting mining equipment and undertaking unsafe tunnel excavation, which has cost lives in the past.

Namaqualand regional radio last week communicated the dangers of these mining activities.