More than 80 feared dead in Tanzania mining accident

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2008

MIRERANI, Tanzania (AFP) — More than 80 miners are feared dead after floods swept pits in northern Tanzania on Saturday, a survivor and police said.

Rescue operations were hampered by lack of equipment at the Mirerani Tanzanite gemstone mines near the northern city of Arusha, around 450 kilometers (280 miles) north of the capital Dar es Salaam.

"It started raining at two o'clock (2300 GMT) in the morning. We struggled and I managed to get out at three o'clock," said one surviving miner, Elia Fanuel.

"I know there is no hope of finding anybody alive. We will just look for the bodies to give them a decent burial," he told AFP. It was unclear if there were more survivors.

Police said six bodies had been recovered while mine owners said there were 87...