By Nellie Peyton and Xolani Nhlapo STILFONTEIN, South Africa (Reuters) -South African rescuers ended their attempts on Thursday to find anyone left in an illegal gold mine where at least 78 people died during a police siege,

Authorities have come under scrutiny for refusing to help the miners for months and claiming they were able to get out on their own.

The prospectors were trapped underground for months as police, on orders from South Africa’s government, attempted to starve them out.