Two confirmed dead after galamsey pit collapses at Sefwi Datano

Two individuals have tragically lost their lives after a pit used by illegal gold miners, or 'galamsey' operators, collapsed in Sefwi Datano, located in the Bodi District of Ghana's Western North Region. The victims, identified as Kwaku Charles and Nana Dibi, are believed to be in their early thirties. They were reportedly working alongside a third individual at a familiar mining site when the pit unexpectedly gave way, trapping the two miners beneath the ground.

The whereabouts of the third miner remain unknown at this time. Swift action was taken by local residents and rescuers upon hearing about the incident. An excavator was deployed to the scene to assist in the rescue, although it inadvertently caused significant damage by severing the head of one of the victims before the bodies were eventually recovered.

Joseph Debrah, the Unit Committee Member for Datano, reported receiving a distress call about the trapped miners. He then alerted community leaders, who rallied a group of youths to aid in the rescue effort. Police forces from Bodi also joined the mission to retrieve the victims. The bodies have since been taken to the Juaboso Government Hospital mortuary for preservation and a more in-depth investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The tragic event has deeply impacted the Sefwi Datano community, who are now in mourning, as authorities work diligently to determine the fate of the third individual who was also at the mining site when the pit collapsed.