At least 14 artisanal miners killed in collapse at an illicit mine in South Africa

Police in South Africa say at least 14 artisanal miners have died in a collapse at a mineJOHANNESBURG -- At least 14 artisanal miners died and eight were injured when the walls of a mine in South Africa caved in on them, police said Tuesday.North West provincial police commissioner Lt. Gen. Arthur Adams said a search was ongoing and it was not yet clear if there were more victims. Sniffer dogs and specialized equipment were deployed to search for any others trapped underground.The cave-in happened while the miners were operating illicitly near the city of Rustenburg, a hub for platinum mining in South Africa about 130 kilometers (80 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.Tens of thousands of artisanal miners work illegally in South African gold and platinum mines that are no longer used by mining companies or dig their own mines to search for deposits. They often operate without proper safety equipment and sometimes stay underground for weeks.South Africa has the largest platinum reserves in the world.Three of the miners injured in the collapse were released from a hospital and placed under arrest on suspicion of illegal mining. The five others who were hurt remained in the hospital unde...