Fourteen (14) illegal miners have been declared dead by the Prestea Police Command in the Western region after an abandoned galamsey pit caved in at Kubekrom-Abease near Prestea Nsuta.
The illegal miners were reportedly among 19 miners who were trapped in the pit.
Empire News’ Emmanuel Ohene Gyan reports that rescue mission is underway to see if any of the trapped miners can be pulled out of the pit alive.
Ohene Gjan added that the 80 metre pit has been abandoned since government declared war against illegal mining.
Five people have so far been successfully rescued from the pit and are being interrogated by the Police.
A victim by name Kweku from Nakaba, who escaped from the galamsey pit told Starr News that he managed to get out of the pit with his 46-year-old colleague.
According to him, they were unaware that the pit was weak and wasn’t well supported.
This latest disaster comes after government’s effort to clamp down on illegal mining nationwide.