Burkina Faso missing miners: Two more bodies found

Two more dead bodies have been recovered from a flooded zinc mine in Burkina Faso.

Millions of litres of water have been pumped out of the site owned by Canadian firm Trevali as rescue efforts continue.

The case has caused outrage in the country.

A total of eight miners had become trapped there by unexpected torrential rain six weeks ago.

At this stage two of the group still remain missing.

Trevali and the Burkinabè government have launched investigations into the causes of the incident at the Perkoa zinc mine, which is about 100km (60 miles) west of the capital, Ouagadougou.

“We’ve brought in experts from all over the world. We’ve got people from Australia, from South Africa, from Canada,” Ricus Grimbeek, the CEO of Trevali Mines Corporation, said about ongoing rescue attempts.

So far none of the bodies have been officially identified.

The eight miners – one Tanzanian, one Zambian and six Burkinabès – were working at a depth of more than 500m.

Perkoa zinc mine has two rescue chambers that are stocked with food, water and oxygen. Loved ones had desperately hoped the miners could make it there safely.

“Hope is gone now,” Antoine Bama, the families’ spokesperson, told the BBC earlier this week.

Mr Bama said a forensic doctor would confirm the identity of each body before the authorities give them over to the families.

“I’ve just put everything in God’s hands,” Brenda Mwamba, wife of trapped Zambian miner Nune Ndonji, told BBC Focus on Africa previously.