South Africa launches operation at illegal gold mine amid fears many dead

Phone video shared by mining NGO appears to show dozens of wrapped bodies in underground tunnel

The South African government has launched a mission to bring potentially hundreds of people in an illegal mine to the surface who last year had supplies of food, water and medicine blocked by police in an attempt to force them out.

The government agreed to the attempt on Friday after the sister of one of those underground initiated a court case in response to letters from miners brought to the surface on Thursday.