17 Die in Ghana Mine Collapse

Seventeen people have been pronounced dead after the collapse of an illegal gold mine in the west of Ghana.

The mine collapsed on Sunday, and rescue efforts have been ongoing.Authorities announced today that they have called off the rescue effort for fear that the it may trigger further collapse.

The mine is more than 80 metres deep.

The authorities also listed health concerns as a reason for calling off the operation.

“As the days are going by the bodies are decaying. It can cause communicable diseases too [sic],” firefighter, Ebenezer Yenzu, told reporters.

According to a spokesperson for the local authorities involved in the rescue effort, the team managed to locate the body of one miner and bring it to the surface. However, they were unable to the bring the other bodies to the surface.

“Seventeen people have died… We cannot bring them up. All those here agree we should cover them,” he said.

He said that the families of the deceased have agreed to leave their bodies underground, and to cover the mine.

While Ghana is Africa’s second largest producer of gold on a small-scale, illegal gold mining in Ghana has been on the rise in recent months and has prompted a government crackdown on these illegal mines.

In 2010, 45 people died after an illegal mined collapsed in the country after heavy rains.