At least five (5) suspected illegal miners have been confirmed dead, while four (4) others were rescued following the collapse of an illegal mining pit in the Kasotie area of the Atwima Mponua District in the Ashanti Region.
According to a report by 3News.com, the incident occurred on Wednesday night, October 1, 2025, sparking an intensive rescue operation. Eight miners were pulled out alive after hours of coordinated efforts by emergency response teams.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), supported by other emergency services and community volunteers, led the rescue exercise. The operation, which went on through the night, managed to retrieve the bodies of the five deceased miners from beneath the rubble.
Confirming the development to 3News.com, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima Mponua, Ibrahim Ishak, lamented the tragedy and reiterated the dangers of illegal mining.
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He stated:
The preliminary information we have is that this was an illegal mining operation. Our rescue teams, including NADMO, worked tirelessly. While we are grateful that eight individuals were brought out safely, it is a profound tragedy that five lives have been lost.
The survivors were immediately rushed to the Nyinahini Government Hospital for treatment. Although their exact conditions are yet to be officially disclosed, reports suggest that they sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The collapse has left the Kasotie community in shock and once again highlighted the dangers of illegal small-scale mining, known locally as galamsey. Such activities continue to pose severe risks to human lives, devastate the environment, and undermine the government’s efforts to regulate the mining sector.
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Rescue teams remain on site to ensure no individual is left trapped, while investigations into the cause of the collapse have officially commenced.
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