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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

A 17-YEAR-OLD boy plunged about 30-metres to his death while trying to retrieve a bucket that had fallen into a well in Nkayi, police have confirmed.

Matabeleland North acting police spokesperson Sergeant Namatirai Mashona said the incident occurred last Thursday and is being treated as sudden death.

She identified the deceased as Dingulwazi Khumalo who was a herdboy in Sibangilizwe Village.

“On 5 December 2019 at around 12 noon, Dingulwazi Khumalo, a herdboy at Douglas Sibanda’s homestead was fetching water in a well which is about 30m deep. As he lowered a steel bucket, it dropped into the well.

“He called Bongisani Khumalo (17) and Ms Primrose Sithole (22) to assist him to retrieve the bucket and he volunteered to be lowered into the well to retrieve the bucket,” said Sgt Mashona.

Police were told that the three tied a 20 litre plastic bucket with a piece of wire and a rope.

Dingulwazi stepped into the bucket and his two colleagues lowered him down the well.

“Dingulwazi fell out of the bucket into the well,” said Sgt Mashona.

She said sensing danger, Ms Sithole called out to Dingulwazi but got no response.

A report was made to police who attended the scene and retrieved the body.

 No foul play is suspected and post-mortem was waived by Nkayi magistrate, Mr Collin Chiruma.-@ncubeleon