The Deputy Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality, Emmanuel Sarsah, says officials are still unable to confirm the number of people trapped underground after Monday’s mining disaster at the Bogoso–Prestea Mines in the Western Region.
The incident reportedly occurred when unidentified smoke—suspected to have resulted from a dynamite blast—filled parts of the underground mine, affecting miners believed to be illegal operators.
Speaking to Adom News, Mr. Sarsah revealed that three bodies have so far been recovered and deposited at the morgue.
“At this point, we cannot confirm how many people were underground when the incident happened. We have retrieved three bodies, but we are still receiving reports from community members about missing relatives,” he said.
He added that NADMO is collaborating with other relevant agencies to determine the cause of the disaster.
“Investigations are ongoing to establish what exactly led to the incident and who may have carried out the alleged blasting that produced the toxic fumes,” he noted.
Mr. Sarsah also appealed for increased government support to strengthen NADMO’s emergency response capabilities.
“We are urging government to continue supporting NADMO and equip us with the necessary tools so we can be more effective in preventing and managing disasters,” he added.
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