The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Benito Owusu-Bio has revealed that a rescue team at a collapsed mining pit at Nsuta-Prestea in the Western Region has made some success.

“Thankfully we have been able to locate them this morning and we are asking more of the illegal miners who know the pit well to immediately come and help us to retrieve the bodies. It is believed all of them are dead but we do not want to draw that conclusion…..some of them may be in coma and we need to take them to hospital with the hope of resuscitating them”, he revealed on Okay Fm.

He disclosed that this will serve as a warning to other illegal miners to adhere to ban on all mining activities as directed by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

“We have asked a medical team to be on standby but I think this is a wakeup call for miners to obey directives by the ministries not to engage in illegal mining activities in the area”, he stated.

According to him, he is unable to tell exactly the number of persons trapped in the pit because locals are giving conflicting reports about the exact number of victims.

More than 17 persons on Monday were alleged to be trapped in a mining pit at the area after it caved on them following a heavy downpour in the area.

There have been hopes by locals to rescue the victims alive but current circumstances have swept away such hopes with residents fearing that could be last they will see their relations alive.

Source:mynewsgh.com