One person has been confirmed dead in a galamsey pit collapse at Akrokerri in the Adansi North District of the Ashanti Region.
The Ashanti Regional Police command has confirmed the retrieval of the body from the collapsed galamsey pit. It took nearly seven hours to dig into the earth to retrieve the body.
“One person has been confirmed dead and he was retrieved from the galamsey pit. We had officials from NADMO and Anglogold Ashanti coming to assist us in that regard…It took them over 7 hours of digging before getting to where the body was,†the Ashanti Regional Police PRO, ASP Godwin Ahianyo said on Citi FM.
He said that one other illegal miner whose name was given as Ahmed who was reportedly with the deceased but escaped with injuries after he left the hospital without notice.
“That person is alleged to have gone to the Assemblyman of the area. He is the only person who survived. When he mentioned to the assembly member that they went to the pit and they were trapped, he had injuries, he was asked to go to the hospital. He left the hospital unceremoniously,†he said.
ASP Godwin Ahianyo said the police was searching for Ahmed to help in investigations.
He said their preliminary information based on reports from experts from Anglogold Ashanti and NADMO shows that the two could be the ones in the pit when the incident occurred.
“We currently don’t know where he is so we are searching for him. He is the only person that we know [is alive],†he said.
“NADMO officials and Anglogold officials told us that, per what they’ve done, there are no more bodies so we should cover the pit with the sand that was removed,†he said.
He said the body of the deceased has been taken to the hospital awaiting an autopsy.
Earlier reports said at least seven people were trapped in the collapsed pit but the police said those numbers are only rumours.
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