Four women have been confirmed dead after a mining pit suddenly caved in on them at Manso Kumpese in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region.
The women were reportedly prospecting for gold when the deep pit collapsed, on Saturday, March 2.
They have been identified as Maame Yaa, 18; Yaa Boakye Priscilla, 21; Alhassan Atenee, 42, and Afia Pokuah, 25.
Two others, Felicia Azumah and Nadia Apau, however, survived and are currently battling for their lives in a hospital.
A police report said the women regularly went to prospect for gold in the pit under a cliff.
“Preliminary investigation indicates that the victims are among the indigenes of Manso Kumpese who normally go to the mining site to prospect for gold.
“That about 9:00 am whilst their usual galamsey activities were ongoing at the site, the cliff under which a couple of galamsey pits were located slid, collapsing the pits in the process whilst the aforementioned six female victims were prospecting for gold in it,” the police report said.
The report added that inspections of the bodies revealed various degrees of injuries including fractures on the limbs, suggesting foul play.
The police have since launched an investigation into the matter.
Meanwhile, the bodies have been deposited at the St. Martin’s Catholic Hospital morgue at Manso Agroyesum for autopsy and preservation.
The men were identified as Kwasi Darkwa, 24; Kofi Asante, 30, and Yaw Ibrahim, 39.
According to reports, the bodies of the victims were discovered on February 29, with one body retrieved on the same day by the Police.
The remaining two bodies were recovered on March 1, 2024.