Police Officers in Region 7 are investigating the death of a 70-year-old miner. The accident occurred at Thomas Island, Puruni River on Tuesday afternoon.
According to a statement issued by the Corporate Communications Unit, the deceased has been identified as Emanuel Jeffrey, a miner of Parika, East Bank Essequibo.
Reports are that Jeffery was operating a four-inch land dredge with two colleagues when disaster struck.
The statement said Jeffery and his two co-workers were in the pit at approximately 15 feet wide and 8 feet deep when the eastern side collapsed, burying him under the heavy soil for nearly an hour.
The two men managed to dig Jeffery from under the dirt and rushed him to the Bartica Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police officers attached to Region Division 7 visited the site where an examination was conducted. A post mortem examination is to be conducted on Jeffery’s body to ascertain his cause of death.