The miners are suspected to have died of starvation and dehydration, although no causes of death have been released.

The death toll in a monthslong standoff between police and miners trapped while working illegally in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa has risen to at least 87, police said Thursday as they wound down a rescue operation that has pulled more than 240 survivors out from deep underground.

No more illegal miners are believed to be trapped underground at a gold mine in South Africa, volunteers working with rescue teams have said.