By Siyabonga Sishi and Nellie Peyton STILFONTEIN, South Africa (Reuters) - South African rescuers were making final efforts on Thursday to ascertain whether anyone was left in an illegal gold mine deep underground where at least 78 people died during a police siege,

A deadly siege on an illegal gold mine near Stilfontein, South Africa, has resulted in at least 78 miner deaths, with authorities rescuing 246 survivors. Amidst criticism, the government defends its tactics to combat illegal mining,

Police say the death toll in a monthslong standoff between authorities and miners trapped while working illegally underground at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa has risen to at least 87.