Four suspected illegal miners have lost their lives following the collapse of a galamsey pit at Skuumu near Gyaman-Nkwanta in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region.
The tragic incident occurred around 4:00pm on Wednesday May 27, throwing the entire community into a state of shock and grief.
According to reports, the victims had entered an abandoned mining pit to engage in illegal mining activities when the pit suddenly caved in, trapping them underground.
The affected land was reportedly part of a concession initially allocated to Volta Resource, a mining company.
Sources indicate that the area was later allegedly handed over to illegal miners for mining operations.
Government authorities had subsequently tasked Logist Group Company Limited to undertake reclamation works on the degraded land as part of efforts to restore the environment following years of illegal mining activities.
However, despite the ongoing reclamation plans, the victims are said to have sneaked into the abandoned pit to continue mining for gold before disaster struck.
Personnel from the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies quickly rushed to the scene after news of the collapse broke out.
Rescue operations were immediately initiated in an attempt to retrieve the trapped miners.
An excavator was later deployed in the evening to assist in the recovery exercise, leading to the retrieval of the four bodies from the collapsed pit.
Sources identified the leader of the group as Solomon Amadevor, while the identities of the three other deceased persons have not yet been officially disclosed pending investigations and notification of their families.
The incident has once again highlighted the persistent dangers associated with illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, which continues to claim lives and destroy farmlands, forests, and water bodies across the country.
Residents in the area have expressed sadness over the tragedy and renewed calls for stricter enforcement of mining regulations to prevent further loss of lives.
Authorities are expected to commence investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collapse as concerns continue to mount over the increasing fatalities linked to unsafe illegal mining operations in the country.
By 1960news.com
