Rescuers have sent a cagelike device into one of South Africa’s deepest gold mines to bring out survivors among hundreds of miners working illegally in an abandoned shaft who have been trapped for months.

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.

Months after South African authorities initially cut off supplies to miners working illegally in an abandoned gold mine, rescuers brought emaciated survivors to the surface on Tuesday.Hundreds more are still believed to be underground,