Police authorities on Saturday said that seven miners are suspected to have died by drowning in a tragic accident at a makeshift mine site in Chingola town, the Copperbelt Province.
The police said the illegal miners drowned in the tunnels where they were digging copper ore after heavy rains resulted in landslides burying the tunnels.
Rae Hamoonga, the police spokesperson, said in a statement that rescue teams that visited the accident scene discovered that there were two sites where the victims were buried. “The bodies are not yet retrieved as efforts are being made to retrieve them,” he added.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on Saturday expressed deep sorrow for the tragic accident at the open pit mine, which collapsed and trapped illegal miners Thursday.
“Our prayers are with the families of those who died in the accident,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
He has since paid gratitude to the rescuers and volunteers who were working tirelessly to reach people trapped, adding that the incident reinforces the government’s commitment to implementing strict mining safety policies to ensure the well-being of citizens.
