The authorities initiated the rescue operation on Monday following a court order issued the previous week, which mandated that they take action.

South African police concluded a rescue operation on Wednesday at an abandoned gold mine, confirming they had brought out all the survivors and retrieved all the bodies after hundreds of miners were trapped for months in one of the country's deepest mines while engaging in illegal work.

Police confirmed that at least 78 miners had died, and 246 survivors were rescued. Civic groups suggested that the victims likely died from starvation or dehydration, although no official cause of death has been disclosed for any of the victims.

The death toll is believed to be higher, as a community group reported recovering nine bodies before the police operation began. Additionally, there have been sporadic reports of bodies and survivors being brought out by community-led rescue efforts since last year, though these numbers remain unverified.

The unexpected end to the operation came a day after the police minister had stated that the operation would probably last until at least the following week.

A final sweep of the mine was scheduled for Thursday, according to Maj.-Gen. Patrick Asaneng, the acting police commissioner for North West province.

The sudden conclusion of the operation raised questions about the South African government’s handling of the situation, especially after it had made a decision last year to attempt to force the miners out by cutting off their food and supplies.

Civic groups have criticized the government's delay in staging a rescue, arguing that this left the miners to die from hunger and dehydration. While the exact duration of the miners' time underground is unclear, Asaneng stated that some had been trapped in the mine since August, with relatives reporting that others had been there since July.

Some of the rescued miners were severely emaciated and had difficulty walking, requiring assistance to get into ambulances. Authorities indicated that all the survivors would face charges of illegal mining and trespassing.

South Africa’s second-largest political party, a member of the government coalition, has called for an independent inquiry to investigate why the situation was allowed to spiral out of control.

The rescue operation was launched on Monday in response to a court order issued the previous week, demanding immediate action.

A specialized mining rescue company had been lowering a small cage thousands of meters down a mine shaft to retrieve bodies and survivors. However, no personnel from the company were sent underground due to safety concerns; instead, two community volunteers were placed in the cage to assist the miners.

These two volunteers reported on Wednesday after their underground search that no more survivors or bodies remained, Asaneng said.

The mine, with a depth of 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) and a complex network of shafts, multiple levels, and tunnels, made the rescue operation exceptionally challenging. A civic group had previously estimated that more than 500 miners were trapped underground when the rescue began. In total, authorities managed to bring out 324 bodies and survivors.