Artisanal miner killed in tunnel collapse
An artisanal gold miner died while his two of his colleagues were injured when a tunnel they were working in collapsed in Zvishavane on Monday.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko confirmed the death of Isaac Nyoni yesterday, but could not give further details.
“I am yet to get the finer details and actual circumstances but what I can confirm is the death of one artisanal miner who was now admitted in hospital,” he said.
Police sources, however, said Nyoni was panning for gold together with two others when the tunnel they were working in caved in.
“Nyoni was hit by a huge boulder and sustained some head injuries and fractures on one leg. The victims were part of a group of illegal gold miners conducting their activities in Zvishavane town near Platinum Park suburb,” said the police.
A witness, Mr Luckson Mariba said the other two miners, who sustained minor injuries were rescued by fellow illegal panners operating on the area. “The illegal miner who died had ventured deeper into the shaft and when it collapsed it took his colleagues sometime to get to him. When they eventually got to him he was still bleeding and failed to get immediate medical assistance. He died on admission at Zvishane District Hospital,” said Mr Mariba.
He said police were now conducting patrols to ward-off the illegal panners from the area.
“We are very happy that following this unfortunate incident the police are conducting raids at the area arresting the illegal miners because the danger is that they were now digging some few metres away from houses in the suburb,” he said.
The Herald