At Least 17 Illegal Miners Killed In Central Ghana

<p>ACCRA, GHANA (BNO NEWS) -- At least seventeen illegal miners were killed in central Ghana after a pit caved in, local authorities said Monday.

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<p>The incident occurred at a mining landsite that had closed operations in Kyekyewere, a suburb of Dunkwa, when a portion of the land collapsed and buried several miners.

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<p>At least sixteen miners, including two women, were confirmed dead at the site of the accident, and after six others were transported by emergency teams to the Dunkwa Government Hospital, another individual succumbed to wounds and brought the death toll to seventeen.

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<p>Muncipal Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Otu Larbi, spoke with Gana News Agency and stated that the mining site is owned by Abu Sadique's God First Mining Enterprise, but as it was reclaiming the land, operations had been closed after six months of work.

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<p>According to reports, a group of people arrived at the site and threatened the excavator operator who was filling in the last portion of the land to leave that part open in order for them to mine, but the land soon caved in.

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