PESHAWAR: At least four workers trapped nearly 900 feet underground in an emerald mine in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were rescued during an operation, rescue officials said on Thursday.
The mine collapse occurred in the Babuzai area of Swat Valley, a region famed for producing emeralds with deep green hues. Despite its potential, Pakistan’s mining sector is plagued by outdated practices and lax safety standards that frequently put workers at risk.
“Rescue 1122 successfully rescued four workers from the emerald mine,” its spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi said in a statement.
“Rescue 1122 medical teams are providing immediate medical aid to the workers in ambulances.”
Faizi said the operation, which involved around 40 personnel and lasted several hours, was made successful due to “trained personnel and modern equipment.”
