Efforts underway as over 20 feared trapped beneath rubble
Emergency response teams have launched a desperate search-and-rescue mission following the collapse of an illegal mining pit in Akyem Wenchi, located in the Denkyembour District of the Eastern Region.
The tragic incident, which occurred on the morning of Wednesday, July 16, 2025, has already claimed at least four lives, with about 20 others believed to be trapped underground. The exact number of people affected remains uncertain as rescue efforts intensify.
Personnel from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, and the Ambulance Service are currently on the ground, working tirelessly to save lives.
The cause of the collapse has not yet been determined, but locals suggest that the site, which has long operated outside legal oversight, had shown signs of structural weakness in recent days.
With every passing hour, families of the trapped miners anxiously await news as excavators and first responders dig through the debris. The atmosphere around the site remains tense, with community members calling for urgent reforms and stricter enforcement against illegal mining operations.
Authorities have yet to release a formal update on the status of those still trapped, but sources indicate that time is running out.
