The police today said that 64-year-old miner Donald Gouveia died yesterday in a pit collapse at Micobie in Region Eight.
The police today said that 64-year-old miner Donald Gouveia died yesterday in a pit collapse at Micobie in Region Eight.
In a statement, the police said that investigations so far have revealed that around midday in the Micobie Backdam, Gouveia and three others were working in a mining pit composed of sandy soil.
The pit was about 60 feet in diameter and 70 feet in depth. At the time, Gouveia was jetting, when the western pit wall collapsed and caved in and covered him.
His co-workers were partly covered: Keith James (above his waist), Frencivaldo Santos (above his chest area) and Junior Daniels (just above his knees).
They were assisted by other workers. James, Santos and Daniels managed to free themselves without any injury.
However, Gouveia was taken out of the pit in an unconscious state and had an injury above his left eye. He was rushed to the Micobie Health Centre after which he was immediately referred to the Mahdia District Hospital.
On his arrival at the Mahdia district hospital about 15:02 hrs he was seen and examined by Dr. Clay who pronounced him dead on arrival.