Families want to retrieve bodies of alleged zama zamas

VIRGINIA - It will take about two days to retrieve over 30 bodies from a Virginia mine shaft in the Free State according to some of the family members of the miners trapped underground.

They are asking to be allowed to go back to bring the bodies to the surface but the Mineral Resources Department says it's too dangerous.

READ: Illegal Mining | Possibility of more fatalities at Virginia mine

Believed to be illegal miners, they remain trapped following last month's methane gas explosion.

A family member, Tente Hakoe said, "These bodies can be retrieved quite easily. We can bring them out if we're given permission to do so. We're just asking for help with getting permission."

"We can bring the bodies to the surface, we just can't get to the shaft because security is tight. If we're given permission to go get them, it'll take about two days."