A 30-year-old Kwadwo Owusu, alleged to be an illegal miner tragically drowned in a trench created by an excavator at Manso Adubia in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, during a break on-site.
Colleague miners suspect that Owusu may have been intoxicated, leading to his fall into the trench and subsequent drowning. The circumstances surrounding his death have raised concerns about safety measures and the prevalent issue of alcohol consumption among miners in the area.
The police were called to the scene and transported the body to the mortuary for preservation. An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the accident and to address potential safety risks to prevent future tragedies.
This incident follows a recent heartbreaking event at Morkwaa, a farming community near Twifo Praso in the Central Region, where two-and-a-half-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, lost their lives after falling into an abandoned galamsey pit filled with water.
This marked the eighth fatality in the district this year caused by uncovered illegal mining pits, sparking renewed calls for action to address the dangers posed by these unregulated sites.