Four Illegal Miners Die in Pit Collapse at Bepotenten Sukuum

Four suspected illegal miners have been killed following the collapse of a mining pit at Bepotenten Sukuum, a farming community in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region.

The incident occurred at about 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, when a pit caved in on a group of miners working at an abandoned mining site in the community.

The four victims died instantly after being trapped beneath the debris.

The deceased have been identified as Nartey Solomon, 30, Ezekiel, 22, Awudu, 27, and Yaro, 26, all residents of Bepotenten Sukuum.

Police at Jacobu received information about the incident at approximately 5:30 p.m. following a report by the Assembly Member for the area, Samuel Ekwam Ananse. Officers immediately proceeded to the scene to begin investigations and assist with recovery efforts.

Preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the victims, together with one survivor, were engaged in illegal mining activities at the abandoned site when the pit suddenly collapsed.

Authorities further disclosed that portions of the land where the incident occurred are currently undergoing reclamation works by a private company.

Upon arrival at the scene, police officers, together with community members, discovered the bodies of the four men, which had already been retrieved from the debris by local residents before the arrival of the security personnel.

A police inspection of the bodies revealed severe injuries resulting from the collapse. Ezekiel reportedly suffered extensive injuries, including a severed right foot and internal body injuries, while the remaining victims sustained serious head injuries.

The police crime-scene management team later conducted an inspection of the area as part of ongoing investigations into the tragedy.

The bodies have since been conveyed to the St. Peter’s Catholic Hospital Mortuary in Jacobu, where they are being preserved pending autopsy. The latest incident has once again highlighted the dangers associated with illegal mining activities, particularly at abandoned mining sites, where safety standards are often absent and conditions remain hazardous for miners operating in such environments.