By A Correspondent| The rescue team at Ran mine has drained water to a depth of over 40 metres, bringing the team closer to accessing the trapped miners following a blast at the mine last Wednesday.

Safety remains a high priority at the mine where a rescue team has been steadily dewatering the mine in order to be able to reach trapped artisanal miners.

Bindura district development coordinator, Richard Chipfuwa said the rescue team is closer to assessing whether they can safely enter the mine through other shafts as they have been operating on dangerous ground.

“Dewatering is in progress water levels have significantly gone down. Experts are advising us to continue dewatering for what they are calling level 1 of the mine shaft. However, it is still risky for any kind of rescue operation,” he said.

Families of the trapped miners are still anxious and the civil protection department has been offering psycho-social support.

The First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa this Thursday visited the mine to console relatives of artisanal miners trapped.

She brought foodstuffs, maize-meal, rice, salt and cooking oil, among others to families who have been camped at the site since the accident.

The First Lady said she was saddened by the tragedy and had to come to meet relatives of the trapped miners.

“When we heard the news, we were distressed. The number of those trapped is huge and we were worried. As a mother, we keep hoping that we will see our children and we are praying that they are still alive. We leave everything in God’s hands,” she said.

“We thank the Government for its efforts in ensuring that resources for the rescue process are available. We also thank mining companies and all stakeholders who are working together in fighting to retrieve those trapped.”

An unknown number of artisanal miners were trapped underground after a blast in a disused mine shaft.

-State Media