Police rescue miners in SA after standoff ends

The death toll in a protracted standoff between police and miners trapped while working illegally in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa has risen to at least 87, police said on Thursday.

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Authorities faced growing anger and a possible investigation over their initial refusal to help the miners and instead "smoke them out" by cutting off their food supplies.

National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said that 78 bodies were retrieved in a court-ordered rescue operation, with 246 survivors also pulled out from deep underground since the operation began on Monday.