Two people have been confirmed dead, with one in a critical condition, after an illegal mining pit collapsed at Dansame in the Assin North District of the Central Region.

The incident occurred on the afternoon of Thursday, April 23, when eight miners were reportedly working inside a newly dug pit.

The walls of the pit are said to have given way without warning, burying three of them under soil and debris.

Residents and fellow miners quickly rushed to the scene in a bid to rescue the trapped workers, but their efforts were hampered by the unstable ground and the depth of the collapse.

After several minutes of frantic digging, the three victims were retrieved. A 22-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man were confirmed dead, while the third victim was found alive but in a critical condition.

The survivor was immediately taken to a nearby health facility, where medical personnel described his condition as very serious, and he continues to receive emergency treatment.

The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the New Edubiase Government Hospital morgue for preservation and identification procedures.

The Assin North District Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Edward Fireson, confirmed the incident and said measures are being intensified to curb illegal mining activities in the area.

Police have since opened investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collapse, while NADMO officials are expected to visit the site to assess possible safety and regulatory breaches.