Rescue teams are in a race against time to reach five miners trapped 800 metres underground at the Ekapa Mine in Kimberley after communication with the team was lost in South Africa’s Northern Cape.

The workers have been cut off since Tuesday, following a sudden mud rush that flooded part of the shaft.

Since then, emergency crews have been pumping water out relentlessly, but access to the trapped miners remains blocked. Communication with the men has been lost, intensifying fears as hours turn into days, state media SABC reports.

Mine management says efforts to reach the workers are ongoing, but conditions underground are complicating operations.

The Sol Plaatje Municipality confirmed its emergency services are on high alert and ready to escalate support if needed.

“The Sol Plaatje Emergency Services remains on high alert, having responded to an early morning emergency call reporting a mud rush incident. We will continue to provide support and are prepared to render additional assistance should further resources be required,” said municipal communications manager Thabo Mothibi.

The Minerals Council South Africa has deployed a specialised team to the site to reinforce rescue operations and assist Ekapa management. The team will also support the families of the missing miners, who are anxiously awaiting updates.

The unfolding emergency inevitably recalls the high-profile rescue operation at the disused Stilfontein mine, where authorities mounted a complex, multi-agency intervention to rescue trapped illegal miners amid national scrutiny.