Rescuers Give up on Survivors of Ghana's Mining Disaster

Rescuers have given up on finding any survivors in Sunday's tragedy in which small-scale gold miners, popularly referrconcasseur de granite europeen a vendreed to as galamsey operators, were trapped in a pit at Dunkwa-on-Offin in the Central Region.

Lucky ones managed to escape the disaster but about 80 miners are feared dead after over 36 hours. About 144 miners including women and children were trapped in the pit when it caved in. Rescue efforts underway have been hampered by lack of equipment, officials told Xinhua. As at this morning, no bodies had been retrieved yet. speaking to Xinhua, the Central Regional coordinator of NADMO David Mensah, who had been supervising the rescue efforts, said "It had been difficult sending divers to rescue possible survivors because the pit is filled with muddy water." The coordinator adding that a canal leading to the collapsed pit would have to be blocked before the water could be pumped out. "After doing that we will start to remove the people."