Man rescued five days after South Africa building collapse

A man raises his hand as rescue workers carry him to an ambulance after he survived 116 hours following a deadly building collapse in George, South Africa, on May 11, 2024. [Reuters]

A man was rescued from the rubble five days after a deadly building collapse in South Africa in what Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said was "nothing short of a miracle."

Officials said in a statement that of 81 people who were on site when the five-story building collapsed on Monday in the city of George, east of Cape Town, 13 were confirmed dead, 29 were alive and 39 were still unaccounted for.

In a post on social media platform X, Winde said on Saturday the survivor had been successfully extracted from the debris after 116 hours.

After Monday's collapse, rescuers used cranes, drills and their bare hands to try to reach those trapped. Rescue operations were continuing.