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Sharon Chiware, Midlands Reporter
A 23-year-old gold panner has died after a mine shaft collapsed on him at Wanderer Mine in Shurugwi.

Moses Dube was buried underground last Tuesday.

Midlands Acting Police Spokesperson Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed the sudden death.

“I can confirm that a sudden death incident occurred at Wanderer Mine, Shurugwi on February 7 at around 12AM. The deceased was buried underground at Wanderer Mine,” he said.

Insp Mukwende said a fellow gold panner sought assistance nearby but by the time people came he was already dead.

In a related incident, a man from Gweru drowned on Sunday last week after attempting to cross Gweru River and his body was found on Tuesday by members of the police sub-aqua unit.

Mr Learnmore Takawira (20), an employee of Gweru City  Council who resided in Athlone suburb, drowned while attempting to cross Gweru River in the company of two friends.

The two friends whose names could not be established, managed to swim to safety.

According to sources, the three who had spent the night drinking in Mtapa high density suburb, decided to go home in Athlone suburb which is on the other side of the river during the early hours of Sunday morning when Mr Takawira drowned.

The search for Mr Takawira started on Sunday but the body was only found on Tuesday by members of the police sub-aqua unit.

After the drowning, Mr Takawira’s friends informed his mother who subsequently made a police report leading to the search for his body in the flooded Gweru River, the sources said.

Police provincial spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko could not be reached for comment but an official from Gweru City Council confirmed Mr Takawira’s death.

@sharonchiware