JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South African authorities have pulled at least 60 bodies from the shaft of a closed gold mine more than 2 km (1.2 miles) underground where an unknown number of men are still feared trapped,

The authorities had at one point limited the miners’ access to food, water and other supplies in a blockade that drew criticism from human rights groups.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African rescuers have pulled at least 60 bodies from the Stilfontein gold mine over two days, police said in a statement late on Tuesday.

Arguing that the miners had entered the mine without permission, authorities reportedly cracked down by cutting off their access to food and water.

The recoveries of bodies come months after the miners, who officials say were illegally mining, were first discovered and had their food and water cut off in a bid to force them out.

Authorities launched an operation in November to force the illegally operating miners out by cutting off food and water from the surface for a time. Hundreds are thought to remain underground.

In one of the videos released by a trade union, the General Industries Workers of South Africa (Giwusa), dozens of shirtless men can be seen sitting on a dirty floor. Their faces have been blurred. A male voice off camera can be heard saying that the men are hungry and need help.

Rescuers are sending a cage-like structure into one of South Africa’s deepest mines in an attempt to bring out survivors among hundreds of illegal miners trapped for months in an abandoned shaft

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -South African authorities have pulled at least 60 bodies from the Stilfontein gold mine over two days, police said late on Tuesday. Police began laying siege to the mine in August and cut off food and water supplies for months in an attempt to force the miners to the surface so they could be arrested as part of a crackdown on illegal mining.