Dennis Anthony Barker, 16 years, died yesterday after a mining pit caved in at Pamela, Mahdia while Scotland Pluck, 20 years was seriously injured.
Both young men were taken to the Mahdia Hospital where Barker was pronounced dead on arrival, Pluck was admitted.
Stabroek News understands that the young men were mining in a small area when the pit caved in due to lack of support and broke Barker’s neck.
Other pork knockers in the vicinity had rushed to help dig the men out from the pit but unfortunately it was too late for Barker.
The young man’s body was brought down to Georgetown late Sunday night. According to a family member Barker’s mother, Denise DaSilva received multiple calls alerting her to the tragic news.
Barker lived with his grandmother in Georgetown but was very close to his mother. The family member said “he was so young and his mother use to beg him not to go but he wanted to work, he would send money for her regularly.”
Barker’s family did not know the person who would routinely take him into the interior however Stabroek News understands that Barker did have an issue with his former employer and chose to leave the employment and work by himself.
Barker’s body is currently at Lyken’s Funeral Parlour awaiting a family decision as to when the funeral will be.
This is the third collapsed mining pit tragedy that has claimed a life for the year. In January Mark Wilson 44 years was killed when a pit caved in at Puruni and Thycuf Xavier 18 years perished when a pit caved in at Mazda Mountain in February.
Rita Henry,36 years is lucky to be alive after a 20-foot deep pit collapsed in the North West District; she was airlifted to Woodlands Hospital on April 10.
