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Midlands Bureau Chief

THREE miners are feared dead after a makeshift ladder they were using gave in resulting in them falling into a flooded mine shaft in Shurugwi district.

The incident occurred on Sunday around 2PM at Bonsa Mine owned by hotelier and miner, Mr Nicholas Gara.

Shurugwi District Development Coordinator Mr Romeo Shangwa said chances of their survival were slim since.

“Yes there are three miners who allegedly fell down a 200m deep mine shaft after the makeshift ladder they were using snapped. We are waiting for rescue experts from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to come, but chances of survival are very slim because the shaft they fell in is flooded,” said Mr Shangwa.

Midlands Provincial Mining Director Engineer Tariro Ndlovu confirmed the incident.

“It is true. Our mine inspectorate team has been on the ground and current activities involve attempting to dewater the flooded mine. We will continue to monitor safety during this exercise,” he said.

Only in June, three miners were trapped at Kambadown near Shurugwi town and their bodies have not been recovered.

The three were part of the seven artisanal gold miners who allegedly went to an abandoned mine.

Three entered the mine at around 7pm while the rest remained outside.

At around 4am the ground gave in. Attempts to rescue them were called off because the ground was said to be unstable.

In an unrelated incident, a naked body was found floating at Fletcher dam in Senga in Gweru.

Acting Midlands provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Xolani Dube confirmed the matter.

“I can confirm that we are investigating a sudden death case where a naked body of a man was found floating in Fletcher dam in Senga suburb on Monday around 8am,” he said.

Sgt Dube said an unnamed male adult was the first to see the body floating in the dam.

“A report was made to the police who attended the scene. Police found clothes and a national identity card suspected to be belonging to the naked man outside the dam,” he said.

The body, he said, was still in the dam as they were waiting for the sub aqua unit to come and retrieve it.