Day 4 and still no bodies retrieved from the collapsed dumpsite in Chingola, Zambia
The government reports substantial progress at the Seseli dump site in Chingola, where over 30 miners find themselves trapped. However, despite over three days of intensive search operations, successful miner rescues has not yet been achieved because none of the over 30 miners or miners’ bodies has been retrieved.
Elisha Matambo, the Copperbelt Province Minister, announced that rescue operators have effectively evacuated water from a tunnel that had become inundated. Furthermore, the military Commando Unit has been integrated into the ongoing rescue operations to enhance the efficiency of the mission.
During a formal press briefing subsequent to an on-site visit, Mr. Matambo conveyed that rescue operators are presently within a proximity of 2.5 meters from the presumed location of the trapped miners. He expressed sincere gratitude to the rescue operators for their unwavering dedication to retrieving the small-scale miners.
Mr. Matambo assured the nation that the government is persistently engaged in round-the-clock efforts to locate the bodies trapped at the three specified sites. Demonstrating concern and empathy for families with missing relatives, he emphasized that no fatalities have been officially declared, as no bodies have been recovered.
“We wish to assure the nation that the government has mobilized all requisite equipment for the purpose of locating bodies believed to be entrapped in the pit. Presently, five excavators are operational on-site, securing the areas where the individuals are presumed to be, in addition to a front loader and an ample workforce,” articulated Mr. Matambo.
He underscored the collaborative endeavors of teams from the Provincial Joint Operation Command, District Joint Operation Command, KCM, Mopani, and Nchanga mines rescue teams, creating a substantial personnel buffer to diligently monitor the ongoing search.
Mr. Matambo expressed optimistic anticipation that the team would achieve notable progress by the subsequent day concerning the status of the individuals confined in the pit. Furthermore, he conveyed that President Hakainde Hichilema maintains continuous oversight through the designated Secretariat of Ministers entrusted with the rescue mission.
In a related statement, Mines and Mineral Development Minister Paul Kabuswe underscored the intricacies of an open pit and the imperative for precautionary measures to avert further accidents. Mr. Kabuswe further reported that 25 families have reported instances of missing persons, with 16 from Chingola, two from Kitwe, six from Luanshya, and one from Chililabombwe. He reassured that the government and the rescue team maintain ongoing communication with the affected families, ensuring that all systems are actively engaged in securing the missing persons.
