Two weeks later: Bodies still trapped in Kassanda gold mines
A Police Fire Brigade team has failed to retrieve two bodies of artisanal gold miners who got trapped in a an 80-feet gold pit in Kassanda District 12 days ago Daily Monitor has established.
The victims Nathan Muyingo, 24, and John Byamukama ,24, got trapped in the rubble on August 29 as they searched for gold at Lujingi B Village.
On Friday, police took an excavator to the site to help in removing the victims who are believed to have died already.
According to Mr Paddy Kakooza , the father to Muyingo they have completely lost hope of finding their son.
“Spending nearly two weeks in a pit is a long period, they [victims] are already dead .The Wamala regional fire brigade commander called us yesterday evening (Sunday) and told us that they had failed to remove the bodies and they are planning to take back the excavator to Kampala,” Mr Kakooza said.
Mr Afimani Viga , the Wamala regional fire brigade commander said they had temporarily suspended the rescue operation but says a final decision is yet to be made by a team from directorate of police fire prevention and rescue services in Kampala.
“For us we did our part although we failed to reach where the bodies are, we expect another team from Kampala today to decide on the way forward,” he said.
An estimated 8,000 artisanal miners are operating in illegal gold mines in Kitumbi ,Kalwana and Bukuya sub -counties, Kassanda District.
Read:
Hope to rescue trapped Kassanda gold miners fades
According to Mr Norbert Ochom, the Wamala Region police spokesperson, a rescue exercise that started on Saturday morning, had not yielded results
Last August, Police and Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) deployed in gold mining sites in Kassanda District and demolished all the makeshift structures which were being used by artisanal miners.
Government said then the miners were making money without paying taxes and, as such, deprived the government of revenue. This prompted the ministry of Energy and Mineral resources to start licensing companies and individuals ready to pay revenue to government.
However despite all that, unlicensed artisanal miners still continue to operate in the area illegally.
