Ten persons have been confirmed dead and four others injured after an old mine pit in which they were working caved in at Tontokrom, a village near Cocoase in the Asutifi South District of the Ahafo Region.
The tragedy occurred on Saturday at about 9 p.m. following heavy rainfall. The victims were said to have been undertaking illegal mining activities in a cocoa farm when the abandoned pit suddenly collapsed.
The Ahafo Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Kwadwo Boakye, who confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with The Ghanaian Times yesterday, said the deceased had since been buried in accordance with Islamic rites.
He explained that a joint rescue team made up of personnel from the Ghana Police Service and the Ahafo Regional National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) retrieved the bodies. The bodies were deposited at the St Elizabeth Hospital at Hwidiem for preservation and autopsy.
The four injured miners remain on admission and are responding to treatment.
The Ahafo Regional Director of NADMO, Mr Gabriel Adu-Bonsu, also confirmed the incident. He said the rescue operation was called off the following day after all the bodies had been retrieved.
According to him, security and rescue officials remained at the scene to ensure no other persons were trapped in the collapsed pit. However, after bringing in an excavator to dig further, it became clear that no additional victims were buried beneath the debris.
“I and my team visited the St Elizabeth Catholic Hospital this morning to sympathise with the bereaved families and console them,” Mr Adu-Bonsu said.
A community member, Mr Kofi Adu Gyamfi, told The Ghanaian Times that the victims were from nearby communities, including Atta Ne Atta and Amanfrom. He said the affected communities were in deep mourning following the tragedy.
Last year, a similar incident in the area claimed two lives, raising fresh concerns about the dangers associated with illegal mining.
The latest disaster underscores the persistent risks of illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey,” and has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of safety and regulatory measures in mining communities.
Despite sustained efforts by the authorities to clamp down on the practice, illegal mining remains prevalent in parts of the Ahafo Region, particularly in the Asutifi South and North Districts.
BY KINGSLEY E. HOPE & DANIEL DZIRASAH
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