Two persons have been confirmed dead while one other remains unaccounted for after an illegal mining pit caved in at Sefwi Datano in the Bodi District of the Western North Region.
The deceased have been identified as Kwaku Charles and Nana Dibi, both believed to be in their early 30s.
According to reports, the victims were prospecting for gold at a site where they regularly operate when the pit suddenly collapsed on them. They were said to be working with a third colleague who is currently missing.
Residents who rushed to the scene to rescue the trapped miners brought in an excavator to aid the operation. However, the machine reportedly severed the head of one of the victims in the process of retrieving the bodies.
The Unit Committee Member for Datano, Joseph Debrah, who confirmed the incident to Adom News, said he received a distress call that two persons had been trapped in the pit.
He explained that he quickly alerted community leaders, who mobilised some youth to the site to assist. Police officers from the Bodi District Command were also informed and joined the rescue efforts.
The bodies of the deceased have since been deposited at the Juaboso Government Hospital mortuary for preservation.
Investigations are underway to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, which has thrown the Sefwi Datano community into mourning and reignited concerns over the dangers of illegal small-scale mining.
