Police in ‘F’ Division (Interior Locations) are investigating the death of a housewife, who was tragically killed after a mining pit caved in on Friday.
Dead is 60-year-old Retta Samuels of One Mile Arakaka, North-West District (NWD). The incident occurred sometime between 15:30h and 16:00h at Locus Backdam, Arakaka.
Samuels along with others were ‘punting‘ in the said backdam at the time of the incident.
According to police reports, the owner of the pit, a 45-year-old gold miner, was washing down his four inch land dredge sometime around 14:00h, whilst the now dead woman was working down below. During this, the pit caved in and trapped Samuels below the mud and water for some time.
Her motionless body was subsequently removed and rushed to the Arakaka Health Centre, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
The body is presently at the Health Centre’s Mortuary while arrangements are being made for it to be transported to the Port Kaituma Hospital Mortuary for a post mortem.
Investigation in progress.
