More than 20 miners trapped in Ethiopia cave for three days

Miners dig for diamonds in Marange, Zimbabwe, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006.   -  
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TSVANGIRAYI MUKWAZHI/AP2006

Rescue operations are ongoing in a remote village in northern Ethiopia after a cave collapse trapped over 20 artisanal miners.

According to reports, the incident occurred three days ago in the Delanta district while the miners were searching for opal gemstones.

It is however not clear the exact number of individuals trapped, and the challenging terrain has made rescue efforts difficult, according to local officials in a report by the BBC.

Hundreds of locals are trying to dig openings for the miners, as the village’s landscape has made it difficult to get support from machines.

Rescue attempts have so far been unsuccessful, but the authorities remain hopeful of finding survivors.

The officials said that in a previous incident, a miner was found alive after he was buried inside the cave for seven days.

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