The Peoples’ Committee in Tuong Duong District of Nghe An Province disclosed that they had recovered five dead bodies on May 2 from the rubble of an illegal gold mine that had collapsed on May 1.
Earlier, a group of people from Ding Huong village of Tam Ding Commune in Tuong Duong district went in search of gold in a mine near the Lam River. By 5.00 pm on May 1, the mine unexpectedly collapsed while the group was still excavating, burying five people while two escaped.
According to an initial investigation, the accident occurred because of manual methods of excavation. Water flowed into the mine while people were still excavating and caused the collapse.
Last month, 18 people died while six were injured when a quarry collapsed at Len Co Mountain in Yen Thanh district.
On May 2, Nguyen An, Chairman of the Peoples’ Committee in Hoai An District of Binh Dinh Province said that to prevent illegal gold excavation in Kim Son village of An Nghia Commune, local authorities will pursue illegal gold exploiters and monitor all mines that may have gold reserves.
Recently, illegal gold mining in Kim Son area has become a serious problem and recurring more frequently.
The latest incident occurred on April 30 in Ho Khe area, leaving three dead and one injured.
In 2001, a similar accident in the area killed four people.
