A 34-year-old illegal miner of Mpatamatu township in Luanshya on the Copperbelt has died after the earth that he was illegally mining on collapsed on him.
The victim is believed to have suffered a deep cut on the head.
The incident is believed to have occurred on Wednesday between 20:00 hours and 21:00hoirs at pit seven of 15 MCC mine of Mpatamatu in Luanshya.
Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said Bwalya Mutale’s death was reported by a machine mine operator at 15 MCC mine who received information that there was an illegal miner at the mine.
“The incident was reported by Reagan Bulaya a machine operator at 15MCC mine that he received information from someone he saw for the first but believed to be an illegal miner who informed him that the earth had collapsed on his fellow illegal miner identified as Bwalya Mutale aged 34, of unknown house but section 21 mpatamatu as they were mining copper ore illegally together and the earth collapsed on him completely burying the deceased,” he said
Mr Hamoonga said police in Mpatamatu visited the scene of accident and with the aid of 15MCC mines staff managed to retrieve the deceased’s body which was found with multiple fractures and a deep cut on the head.
“The body of the deceased was deposited at Roan General Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem and burial,” he said. This is contained in a report published by Zambia Today.