Three people have been confirmed dead after a pit caved in on them at Besechem, near Prestea in the Western Region.

The incident happened Wednesday July 30, 2014.

The three were said to have been prospecting for gold at a mining concession when the pit caved in and trapped them, killing them instantly.

Their bodies have since been deposited at the Prestea government hospital.

ASP Emmanuel Nwinsori, Prestea Huni Valley crime officer said they have identified the deceased persons and handed them over to their families.

Early this month, one person died, while nine others were rescued from underground when an illegal mining pit collapsed on them at Banda Nkwanta in the Northern Region.

It took the combined effort of community members and a police team to remove the trapped people from the collapsed pit.

Death of illegal miners through collapsed pits are fairly common in mining zones across the country.