Three miners are still unaccounted for, three days after the Gbane mine tragedy in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region.

The miners were trapped after the pit they were working in, three nights ago, was inundated with water from a heavy downpour in the Talensi District.

A rescue team spent nearly 48 hours pumping water out of the underground mining tunnels in a desperate attempt to locate and rescue the miners.

The rescue team have retrieved nine bodies that were trapped in the network of tunnels after successfully draining the pits of the water.

The police have since released the nine bodies which were showing signs of decomposition to the families for burial.

Their names have been given as; Debenbaane Tembora aged 30, Zooh Ehig aged 28, Kweku Tii aged 25, Daniel Basuumah aged 27, Kojo Balebinsin aged 42, Naasigna Basuumah, aged 25, Kolog Bering aged 21, Jonathan Naazie Laat aged 28, and Sampana Bangya aged 38.

The deceased have also been identified to be natives of the Gaare, Tindongo and Kpale villages of the Talensi district.

The rescue team, led by police and NADMO officials and supported by officials of the Minerals Commission, are still searching for the missing persons whose names have not yet been made public.

Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu has told JoyNews, the search will continue for as long as necessary, until the missing persons are found.

"We want to make sure that even apart from these men we are looking for, in case there are other bodies, we find them and bring them all out,: he said on the Pulse on JoyNews.

Meanwhile, a committee set up to investigate the mine accident is expected to finish its work in three weeks.