Community members at the galamsey site
A tragic galamsey accident in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region has left at least seven people dead and several others injured after an illegal mining pit caved in at Kasotie on Wednesday evening.
The incident, which occurred around 6:00 p.m., involved about fifteen miners who had descended into the pit in search of gold. Eyewitnesses said the ground suddenly gave way, burying many of them alive.
Rescue efforts by surviving miners, supported by personnel from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and security services, managed to pull out some of the trapped individuals.
Eight miners were rushed to the Mpasaaso Government Hospital with varying degrees of injury, while bodies of the deceased were later retrieved from the rubble.
Initial reports suggested five deaths on Wednesday night, but by yesterday morning, the death toll had risen to seven after two more bodies were recovered. Fears remain that the number of fatalities could climb further, as some community members believe other miners may still be trapped.
“The search went on through the night. We managed to rescue some alive, but sadly, we also found more bodies. We suspect others are still underground,” an eyewitness told reporters.
The disaster has plunged the Kasotie farming community into mourning, with anxious families waiting for confirmation of missing loved ones. The identities of the deceased are yet to be officially released.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has been briefed on the tragedy and is expected to deliberate on measures to address the growing menace of illegal mining in the area. Investigations are ongoing into the exact cause of the collapse.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah & David Afum, Kasotie