Four missing miners in Burkina Faso have been found dead, according to the country’s government officials. After 39 days of intense search on behalf of rescue workers in the region, the bodies of the miners were recovered. The individuals went missing after floodwaters filled a Canadian-owned mine in Perkoa. Perkoa is located in the Sanguie province of Burkina Faso, and the mine was focused on extracting zinc. The deaths highlight the unsafe conditions miners face in the West African country.
Four bodies remain undiscovered, unfortunately. Of the eight reportedly trapped underground on April 16, six were Burkina Faso nationals while the other two were from Zambia and Tanzania. The Burkinabe ministry of mines confirmed the deaths on Wednesday. It is unclear which of the bodies recovered were Burkina Faso nationals. The government also stated that search operations would continue until the other miners are located. The mine is stocked with food supplies in the event of an emergency, but it is also located 570 meters underground. This detail has deflating most hopes that those still missing could be found alive.