JOHANNESBURG — At least 100 men who were mining illegally in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa have died of suspected starvation and dehydration after being trapped deep underground for months while police tried to force them out, a group representing the miners said Monday. More than 500 others are still trapped, the group said. Sabelo Mnguni, a spokesperson for the Mining Affected Communities United in Action Group, told The Associated Press that a cellphone sent to the surface with some rescued miners on Friday had two videos on it showing dozens of bodies underground wrapped in plastic. Mnguni said “a minimum” of 100 men had died in the mine in North West province where police first launched an operation in November to force the miners out. They were suspected to have starved to death or died of dehydration, Mnguni said.

Nine of those bodies were recovered in a community-led operation on Friday, he said. Another nine were recovered in an official rescue operation by authorities on Monday, when 26 survivors were also brought out, Mnguni said.

– The Associated Press