The government of Burkina Faso has opened a judicial probe into a flood at a zinc mine that trapped eight workers, with rescue attempts now in their third week, it said.
Trevali Mining Corp, located in Canada, halted operations at its Perkoa mine on April 16 after heavy rain caused flash floods and the disappearance of eight miners underground. It stated on Monday that search and rescue activities are still continuing.
Following a visit to the site on Sunday, Burkina Faso Prime Minister Albert Ouedraogo said that mine management had been barred from leaving the nation until investigations into the cause of the disaster were ongoing.
According to a prior statement, while most underground employees were able to safely escape, the eight missing personnel were operating below Level 520, which is 520 meters (1,706 feet) below the surface, at the time of the floods.