Abimbo mine in Kenya’s in Bondo, Siaya County has collapsed. Bondo subcounty police commander Roseline Mnyolmo revealed the report and confirmed that eight gold miners are trapped under the mining shaft.
The eight were among 10 miners who had been buried under the rubble, but two were successfully rescued. They were working at the mining site when the mine caved in, trapping them. The police boss said rescue efforts were underway and were also looking for an excavator to speed up the rescue mission.
Police officers from Bondo police station and others from nearby police posts joined residents in the rescue efforts. Rescuers at the scene pumped oxygen into the collapsed goldmine to increase survival chances for trapped miners.
Illegal mining site
“I want to commend the team for the good work, I am optimistic that the remaining miners too will be pulled out. I have called area MP Gideon Ochanda and Oburu Odinga of EALA to help us source for an excavator. We are also in touch with the county government of Siaya to help with the rescue efforts,” said Mnyolmo.
And as rescuers decried the lack of equipment to speed up the process, it emerged that the collapsed mine was among those that had been declared an illegal mining site. Deputy County Commissioner Richard Karani said they would investigate why the mine was being used even after it was declared an illegal site. Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda described the incident as unfortunate but said he was optimistic the miners would be found alive.
