Tanzania: Three More Gold Diggers Die in Buhemba Pits

Mara — Three artisanal miners are believed to have died in a gold pit at the Buhemba mining area in Butiama District of Mara Re gion, the police force in Mara Region confirmed on Monday afternoon.

Until yesterday noon, rescuers were still working to retrieve the dead bodies from the gold pit, according to the Mara Regional Police Commander (RPC) Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jafari Mohamed.

"One dead body has been removed from pit but two more are still believed to be trapped inside ... we're still working to get their bodies out," ACP Mohamed told the 'Daily News' over phone from the scene.

The latest accident occurred on Sunday night at a gold pit operated by artisanal miners at Magunga village in Butiama District, he said.

Six of the artisanal miners were injured and rushed to nearby hospital, according to the RPC.

"Three of those injured have been discharged ... the other three are still in hospital in Butiama and their conditions are improving," the regional police chief said.

The RPC said he rushed to the scene of accident along with other members of the regional security personnel soon after getting news of the accident -- the second incident artisanal miners are said to have died in less than a month.

This month alone, two artisanal miners have died in the same area after they were trapped in a gold pit. Many others were rescued, an indication that the lives of artisanal miners in the area are at high risk. 

Source: By Mugini Jacob. AllAfrica