News / National
P.anners block police from retrieving body from mine shaft
10 Apr 2018 at 07:17hrs | Views
GOLD panners in Goromoronzi have reportedly turned violent and blocked police officers from retrieving the body of a man believed to have been trapped in a collapsed mine shaft since last week.
The shaft collapsed at Jongwe Farm last week, burying 10 artisanal miners before seven others managed to escape.
The other miners then used shovels to retrieve two bodies, while the other man is believed to be still trapped underground.
According to police, the 10 gold panners entered the eight-metre deep shaft at Jongwe Farm on Easter Monday, before it caved in, burying them alive.
Mashonaland East provincial acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed that the body of the panner is yet to be retrieved.
"As previously stated, reports from other panners indicate that there is a possibility of one or more bodies still trapped in the shaft. We are currently trying to establish the correct position and any information on that will be made available," he said.
The shaft collapsed at Jongwe Farm last week, burying 10 artisanal miners before seven others managed to escape.
The other miners then used shovels to retrieve two bodies, while the other man is believed to be still trapped underground.
According to police, the 10 gold panners entered the eight-metre deep shaft at Jongwe Farm on Easter Monday, before it caved in, burying them alive.
Mashonaland East provincial acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed that the body of the panner is yet to be retrieved.
"As previously stated, reports from other panners indicate that there is a possibility of one or more bodies still trapped in the shaft. We are currently trying to establish the correct position and any information on that will be made available," he said.
Source - newsday
