All three bodies recovered after gold mine shaft collapses in Siaya

A gold mining accident in Ogago village, Bondo Sub-County, Siaya County, left three people dead.

One body had been recovered on Sunday morning after the Saturday morning incident.

The recovery efforts for the other two continued to evening when they were found, police said.

According to police, the mining shaft collapsed on Saturday morning at around 8:30am, trapping three miners identified as Erick Omondi, 40, Brandon Juma Onyango, 25, and Amos Ouma, 48.

Authorities confirmed that the body of Brandon Juma Onyango was retrieved from the collapsed shaft during the rescue operations. The other two were found hours later and had started to decompose, police said.

Police said the deceased sustained severe injuries, including an amputated right foot from the ankle, multiple head injuries, and bruises across the body.

The bodies were moved to the Bondo Sub-County Mortuary for preservation and postmortem examination.

Locals demanded to be allowed to view the bodies before they were taken to the mortuary for preservation.

Police said investigations into the incident are ongoing as concerns continue to grow over safety standards in artisanal gold mining sites across the region.

Such incidents have been common at gold mining sites in the country.

Last week, 15 miners were killed at a similar site in West Pokot County.

The miners were in a site when it suddenly caved in trapping them fatally.

It has taken authorities days to reach and recover the bodies.

Officials have been calling on managers of the sites to ensure there are safety measures in place to ensure those venturing there are safe.

This follows persistent accidents at the sites that have left dozens of miners dead and others wounded.

The sites are increasingly attracting a large number of miners oblivious of the dangers lying ahead. The miners are searching for a living amid efforts to ensure their safety.

Such accidents are common at sites in Kakamega, Migori, Homa Bay, West Pokot, Narok, Nandi, Marsabit and Vihiga.

The government had created a police unit to focus on the mining activities but the personnel there complain of interference from elsewhere which has affected their mandates.