ACCRA, Ghana (GlossyNews) — According to local officials in Ghana, at least 32 miners from Dunkwa Akyempim are feared dead after the gold mine they were working in collapsed from torrential rains. Although the accident occurred on Sunday, rescue efforts were hindered by flooding. International excavation experts say that because the mine was constructed as a pit, the influx of water would likely have pooled at the bottom and drowned the men within hours.
Municipality chief Peter Owusu-Ashia said the chance of locating survivors was “extremely slim.” Rescue teams had hoped by the end of Tuesday to have pumped out the water to a manageable level, allowing divers to reach the bottom of the pit and retrieve the bodies of the workers.
“But as desperate as the situation appears,” Owusu-Ashia continued, “we have not abandoned hope. If there’s one thing about Ghanaians, it’s that they’re resilient. They’re also pretty good at diving, as evidenced by their match against the United States in the World Cup. Remember Samuel Inkoom? He was carried off the pitch on a stretcher. As soon as he reached the sideline, he hopped to his feet and reentered the match a minute later. It was obviously an effort to waste time and get attention. So, we are very hopeful that the miners just took a dive to protest the poor working conditions and low pay we offer them. With any luck, they’ll swim to the surface in a day or two.”